Stroke of Luck
by AshtheBlueEyedPoet
Summary: TWD: Following the events until the end of "Coda". Beth!Lives. Bethyl.
1. Murderer

**Stroke of Luck**

TWD: Following the events until the end of "Coda". Beth!Lives. Bethyl.

O/C: Kendra "Ken" Cassidy (Felicia Porter)

Ooo0ooO

Chapter One: Murderer

Ooo0ooO

The gun was nestled against her shoulder as she looked through the scope. The shot was clear. All it would take is two bullets, one to break the glass, one to kill the bitch.

A drop of sweat trickled down her brow. Her finger tightened over the trigger.

Two bullets.

She felt the gun kick against her shoulder and heard the smashing of glass.

Another kick and she saw the bright spray of blood against a white wall.

Breath rushed back into her lungs.

Screams were followed by shouts but she was already sliding down the half wall she was been perched on. Her eyes lifted towards the sky.

It was over.

Ooo0ooO

His eyes tracked every movement as Beth slowly approached Dawn, her body tense as a live wire. They didn't miss how Dawn's hand had slipped to her gun, a movement that might have been unconscious, but no one could be certain. His hand mirrored hers.

"I get it now," Beth said, her voice low and full of something akin to disgust.

Rick's eyes narrowed. Beth had pulled something from her cast, which glinted in the light. He saw her hand tighten around it and his body instinctively began moving forward, ready to grab her.

The explosion of glass interrupted him, causing all of them to flinch or cry out. Another shot rang out, followed by the sound of a body hitting the floor.

Rick looked up from under his arm, which had lifted to cover his eyes, and saw Dawn on the ground with a bullet in her head. Blood was splattered across the wall and was pooling around her quickly.

Before he could move, Daryl was lunging forward and he grabbed Beth's uninjured arm. He pulled her away quickly and Rick saw her drop what she had been holding in her hand. It was a pair of scissors.

The others were scrambling towards Dawn, while some were looking for whoever fired those two shots. Daryl turned with Beth in tow and met Rick's gaze. "Come on," he said, quickly leading Beth away from the shattered window.

Rick followed him, taking the lead with him as the others helped Carol. They broke into a jog, wanting to put as much ground as possible between them and the others. They made it to the entrance and Rick saw the rest of the group approaching.

Maggie cried out Beth's name while they rushed forward. Glenn looked at Rick, who jerked his chin as a signal to move. "What happened?" Glenn asked, falling into step with Rick. "Who fired on who?"

"I don't know," Rick said, his eyes forward. "We made the swap but she wanted Noah. Just before shit hit the fan, someone fired out of nowhere and took out Dawn." He looked up towards the buildings across from the hospital. "Keep your eyes sharp, they might not be our friend either."

Ooo0ooO

The bitter taste in her mouth attested to Ken's belief that revenge was never sweet. She wiped the sweat from her eyes and yanked a hand through her greasy hair. She really needed to cut it again, since it kept flopping in her eyes.

The hissing and moaning told her that walkers were coming, having heard the gunshots. She glanced down the fire escape she had used to get to the top of the building and saw them on the ground, walking slowly over to the hospital. Kendra frowned. They looked fresher than the others, as though they were recently turned.

Shaking her head, she focused on trying to find another way to get down. She had barred the staircase that had led to the roof, since she didn't want any dead interrupting her mission. She walked over to the door cautiously and heard something heavy bumping against it. A glance through the grimy window told her two walkers were attempting to get through, even though a heavy set of chains made it impossible to do so.

Kendra pulled out her hunting knife from the holster strapped to her thigh and pulled the chains apart, letting the door swing open. The walkers used that momentum to charge at her. She stabbed the first in the forehead before using its corpse to knock the other off balance, before embedding her knife in its temple. The bodies fell to the ground and she wiped her knife clean on her shirt.

Quickly, she turned to descend the stairs. She could hear the low moans from other walkers, so she kept her footsteps light and body alert and ready.

Once she exited the staircase, she made it out of the building before she ran into a small pack of walkers. Gritting her teeth, she began to systematically kill them one by one, making sure to dodge their snapping jaws.

There was a low whistling noise and Ken watched as the walkers turned their attention to something on her right. Then there was a flash of black and green, and a walker fell over with an arrow embedded in its eye.

She pivoted and saw a group of people approaching. She recognized some of them from inside the hospital and stiffened briefly before she finished off the last three walkers that were still trying to grab her.

With the walkers dead, Ken turned to face the group again, her eyes meeting the man standing in front of the rest. He looked like he was in his mid-thirties and he had a scruffy beard and serious blue eyes.

Her eyes skimmed over the others, eyeing their array of weapons. She noticed the woman with the katana and the guy with the crossbow, as well as the blonde girl who was being held by two others.

The beard guy approached Ken slowly, his hand still holding his gun. Her hand tightened on her knife briefly, before she forced herself to relax and slide it back in her holster. She let her hand fall at her sides, palms open, as a symbol of peace.

The man eyed her for a moment longer before he put his gun away. He stopped about three feet away from her, his eyes assessing every inch of her before latching onto the precision rifle that was strapped across her back. "You were the one who shot Dawn," he stated, rather than asked.

Ken lifted her chin slightly. "Yes."

The man's eyes narrowed slightly. "Why?"

Her hands unconsciously fisted at her sides. "Because that bitch killed my sister."

The man stared at her before shifting his weight. "My name's Rick. What's yours?"

"Kendra. Or Ken."

"How many walkers have you killed?"

"Too many to keep track."

"How many people have you killed, besides Dawn?"

"None."

She could tell he was trying to assess if she was telling the truth. His entire posture spelled out his suspicion towards her and his gaze was weary. Instinct told her to maintain eye contact, which she did unflinchingly.

"Where you headed?" Rick asked.

Ken shrugged. "I don't know at this point. I tried to make it to Terminus, but by the time I got there it was blown sky high. Don't suppose that was you guys?"

Rick nodded slowly. "They were killing people. Eating them."

Ken's eyebrows flew up but she didn't say anything. After living in this infected world for these past few years, little to nothing surprised her anymore, but this did. She felt uneasy thinking of people turning on people in that way.

"Listen," Rick continued, turning slightly so he could glance back at the group. "You can come with us, if you want." He glanced back again and this time a few people stepped forward.

Two of them were the woman with the sword and the guy with the crossbow, along with an older woman with short, gray hair and another guy who looked Korean. She noticed how he and Rick exchanged a look before he turned to look at her.

"I'm Glenn," he said, offering his hand. "And this is Michonne, Daryl, and Carol."

Ken nodded at the other three before shaking hands with Glenn. "Ken," she replied.

The woman named Carol stepped forward. She offered Ken a small smile. "How long have you been on your own?"

Ken's jaw clenched for a moment. "Ever since I managed to get out of that hospital."

Carol didn't press her any further. She reached out and squeezed Ken's shoulder in a small sign of comfort. Carol then turned and Glenn helped her back over to the rest of the group.

Ken meant Michonne's gaze, then Daryl's, noting they were both eyeing her coolly. Ken understood that she probably wouldn't be accepted fully into the group for some time, not until she showed she was a useful member like the rest of them.

Daryl looked at Rick and gave him a small nod. Rick then gestured for Ken to follow as they walked over to the others. Ken introduced herself to them before Rick told them to begin moving, since there was probably walkers on the way, drawn to the noise of the gunshots.

Ooo0ooO

Beth couldn't help but stare at the woman who killed Dawn. She wasn't a fool, she knew things at the hospital were about to go bad until they were interrupted by the gunshots. She wondered if she should say something.

She watched as Ken walked near the rear of the group, offering to help Carol walk since she was still weak from being hit by that car. Carol smiled at the younger woman, who gave her a hesitant smile in return.

But her eyes soon strayed over to Daryl, who had been quick on his feet to pull her out of the fray. He was walking alongside Michonne and Tyreese, occasionally murmuring something to them.

Beth thought for a moment before deciding to slow down so she could walk besides the newest member of their group. She smiled at Ken, who nodded at her. "So where were you from before, Ken?" Beth asked.

"Before?" Ken repeated.

"You know, before all of this."

Ken blew out a breath, blowing the hair from her eyes. "Well, I was born in Michigan," she began. "But I grew up in California. I moved out to the East Coast when I started college, then moved up to New York for graduate school. Once that was over… I don't know I just decided to stay. Had a few jobs here and there, but nothing solid. Then everything happened…"

"What did you do?"

Ken shifted so Carol could lean on her more. "Hid, mostly. Once I figured out what was really happening, I collected what I could take with me and took off. Being close to the city was too dangerous, so I began making my way through less populated areas. I wanted to make my way down to Louisiana, since I knew my sister was there. But since we both saw signs for Terminus, we found each other there. Of course we couldn't stay, so we kept moving. Eventually we came across a pack of walkers and Cassie, my sister, was injured. I tried to fight them off but the next thing I knew this car comes roaring out of nowhere and Cassie and I wake up in that hospital."

Beth reached out and squeezed Ken's hand.

Ken cleared her throat. "Cassie didn't wake up. She hit her head on something and was in a coma and Dawn gave her a week before she pulled the plug. She didn't even tell me until I walked into Cassie's room and found her dead. So when it was nighttime, I managed to escape through the elevator shaft, after I got my stuff and stole a few weapons. Ever since then I had been waiting for the right moment to get that bitch for what she did. So when the opportunity presented itself…" Ken trailed off again, shrugging one shoulder.

Carol finally spoke up. "You did what you thought was right."

Ken laughed bitterly. "And yet I still feel like shit."

Beth and Carol exchanged a knowing look. They both understood that the kind of lives they lived today left them with little or no choice when it came to doing something that would keep them awake late at night.

"You're at alone anymore," Beth said, trying to lighten the mood. "You got us now."

Kendra looked over at Beth before briefly smiling. "Yeah," she agreed, looking at the rest of the group, "I do."

Ooo0ooO

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Walking Dead.**

**Author's Note: Hello! This is my little AU "what if" story when it comes to the Walking Dead. Hope y'all enjoy it! Please review! **


	2. Survivor

Chapter Two: Survivor 

After a few days, the group seemed to relax around Ken. She found herself talking to Michonne often, fascinated by her choice of weapon. The other woman had laughed when she had let Ken hold the katana, since Ken's eyes went wide in awe.

She got along well with Rosita and Tara too. They were closer to Ken's age, so they found they had a lot in common with the things they enjoyed before everything happened.

Ken also enjoyed passing the time observing the group as a whole as well as the individuals. She wondered if the blonde girl, Beth, realized how much she stared at the crossbow guy, Daryl, or how when she looked away, he was looking at her. There seemed to be a thing between Rosita and Abraham, from what Ken could tell. Abraham was not an easy man to read.

She was thankful to Carol, who had welcomed her into the group with no questions asked. Glenn and his wife were the same way, and it was clear that Maggie was grateful towards Ken for saving her sister from Dawn. Maggie had approached Ken about that and Ken had accepted Maggie's thanks, stating it was not necessary. She knew very well about the importance of family.

And when it came to family, Ken noticed how well Rick took care of his kids. His son Carl was a gangly teen, but didn't seem to mind helping out with Judith. He got plenty of help from Beth while Rick took charge of the group.

Ken hadn't really tried approaching Sasha and Tyreese. Sasha seemed distant towards Ken, and Ken figured it was probably due to a lack of trust towards her. Tyreese, on the other hand, always smiled her way when she walked close to them. He was a large man but, despite his fearsome looks, was clearly a gentle giant.

Then her focus had turned to the quieter members of the group. There was Eugene, the man with a plan to end all of this, as well as Father Gabriel. The latter seemed to be the most nervous out of all of them, clearly inexperienced in dealing with the walkers.

"Hey, Ken!"

Ken snapped out of her reverie and glanced to her left. Beth was waving her over to where she and Carl were standing. The group had been walking along a long road, keeping a slow pace under the hot sun.

Curious, she walked over to them. They were standing in the shade under some trees, both of them sporting sunburns across their noses and cheeks. "What's up?" she asked them, leaning her weight on one leg.

Beth pointed into the trees, her eyes shining. "Look," she breathed.

Ken followed her gaze and her jaw dropped. Standing out in the middle of an opening stood a tall black stallion. It paid them no mind as it grazed on the tall grass, its ears and tail flicking away flies. "Wow," Ken murmured.

"He's huge!" Carl said in an explosive whisper.

"We had a horse before," Beth said quietly to Ken. "Michonne used to ride him out to do a bunch of things. Gather supplies, check out the surrounding areas." A frown flickered over her face.

Ken patted Beth's arm. "I'm sure he'll make it just fine out here. He's already made it this long, plus, horses run much faster than walkers."

Beth nodded and smiled. "You're right."

Ooo0ooO

Later that day, Rick and the group had spread out across the woods in search of a place to stay for the night. Ken had opted to go with Daryl and Michonne, her hand poised over her knife.

They swept over the grounds before they came upon an old barn. Ken ran silently over to Rick to tell him before whistling softly so the others would come this way. Once they were all inside, Ken stayed near the door, eyeing the sky. It had been gray and cloudy all day and the smell in the air promised rain. However, she didn't trust the clouds building up in the east, which were dark and rolling in fast.

Heading into the barn, she found Rick checking on Judith. "Hey," she said to get his attention. "Looks like there might be a storm tonight. We might want to barricade the doors, check the rafters."

Rick nodded. "Good idea."

Abraham and Tyreese began moving the large logs that had been piled beside the barn, rolling or lifting them inside the barn before they began stacking them beside the door. Sasha and Maggie went up into the barn's loft, checking the strength of the barn roof, while Daryl and Beth checked the outside of the barn, making sure it was stable.

When the first four finished, Ken went to check on Beth and Daryl. She could hear them talking softly to each other and paused before rounding the corner. She froze in her tracks before backing up a step.

Beth had been whispering fiercely at Daryl, her fists clenched at her sides. Daryl had been watching her before he had reached up to touch Beth's hair. Ken watched as Beth had stilled from his touch. Daryl had then taken Beth into his arms, hugging her tight, as if he was afraid she would disappear. When they pulled apart, Beth smiled and kissed Daryl's cheek firmly. Ken backed away, giving them some privacy.

She turned and began heading towards the entrance to the barn when someone slammed into her. Ken braced herself, her hand already on her weapon, but stopped when she saw it was Tara.

"Hey, sorry," Tara said.

Ken smiled. "No worries. Is everyone set for tonight?"

Tara nodded. "Yeah. I was just going out to… well." She gestured vaguely.

"Ah, I'd go behind another tree. The back of the barn is currently occupied." When Tara had given her a confused look, Ken rolled her eyes good-naturedly. "Beth and Daryl are back there."

"Oh. _Oh._ Okay," Tara said. "I didn't think they were… I mean I guess it makes sense."

Ken snorted. "Yeah." She shifted on her feet, glancing back towards where she had walked from. "You ever sneak off with someone?"

"What?"

Ken looked back at her. "You know, have you snuck off with anyone here?"

Tara's eyes widened briefly before she shook her head. "Oh no, I don't… I'm…"

Ken reached out to touch Tara's shoulder. "You don't need to explain yourself. I'm just trying to figure everyone out. I can't figure you out though."

"You- you can't?"

"Nah," Ken replied, shaking her head. "You're quiet, watching everyone with those big brown eyes."

Tara blushed. "O-oh."

Ken eyed Tara. She was pretty in her own way, with her dark hair and eyes. The clothes she wore bagged on her frame, which was lean but still curvy. Ken smiled. "You are something, though."

Tara blinked. "Something?" she repeated.

Ken reached up and flicked a finger down Tara's nose. "Don't overthink that tonight," she said before strolling off.

When she glanced over her shoulder, Tara was staring after her with wide eyes. She chuckled and winked at her before she walked back into the barn.

**xxXxx**

That night the storm hit hard. The wind howled, tearing at the barn door and roof, and the rain fell down in thick sheets. Lightning flashed and thunder rumbled, making the ground shake beneath their feet.

Daryl was the first to alert them to a small cluster of walkers who had found their way close to the barn. Since the storm scared Judith, they heard her cries over the crashing of lightning and thunder. But thanks to the logs, they managed to hold them back.

The winds kicked up again, howling so fiercely that Ken thought they'd all be blown to Oz. But just as quickly as it came, the storm faded away with a last growl of thunder.

Ken and Rick peered outside. The walkers that had been outside had been knocked down by fallen trees, or had been blown into their broken branches. Daryl emerged with Carol, and they took care of the ones still hissing and snapping their jaws.

Once everyone settled back in, Ken sat down in between Daryl and Carol. Daryl was whittling a small branch with his knife, humming roughly. Ken's gaze shifted and met Tara's from across the barn.

Ken smiled slowly, musing over their conversation from earlier. She hadn't meant to fluster the other girl, but had also enjoyed it. Ken wasn't too picky when it came to people she was interested in. Cassie had told her long ago that her taste was an eclectic palette. Ken had shrugged at that, not caring much for any kind of label on her sexuality.

Besides, Tara _was_ pretty. The men in the group held no interest for her and Tara was the only one who caught her eye. She figured she could just see where the chips fell with this one.

She leaned back against the wall and glanced at Daryl. She was surprised to see he had moved, standing near the corner of the barn with Beth. As she watched, he grew a small flower out of his jacket pocket and handed it to Beth. The younger girl's face lit up and she threw her arms around Daryl. Once again, when they parted, Beth kissed Daryl's cheek. But then he gripped her chin and laid his lips gently on hers.

Ken looked away with a small smile on her lips. She shifted and saw that Carol was looking over at Daryl kissing Beth. "Young love," Carol said, amusement coloring her tone.

Ken laughed quietly and nodded.

**xxXxx**

Beth felt like she was glowing when she finally settled down beside Maggie to go to sleep. Her cheeks burned and her lips were still tingling from Daryl's.

He had gone with her earlier to check the barn and she had noticed he seemed a bit off. When she had asked him what was wrong, he had shook his head and hadn't answered her. She scolded him, demanding that he tell her what was wrong.

He had surprised her by touching her hair before grabbing her and holding her tight. He then murmured into her ear that he was glad she was all right, that she was safe. Beth had smiled at his quiet confession and had gathered the courage to kiss him, although she had aimed for his cheek.

Then when he came over to her later, he had delighted her by bringing her a small flower. How he had found it and kept it before the storm amazed her. She hadn't hesitated when she hugged him, enjoying the feeling of his body against hers.

When she was aware of that feeling, she had pulled away. Daryl, however, had gently cupped her chin, his rough fingers sending shivers down her spine. Then his lips were on hers and it felt like she had been struck by lightning.

He had tasted like sweat and cigarettes and… well, Daryl. She held onto him until he pulled away, both of them slightly breathless. He then brushed her hair back from her cheek and had told her to get some shut eye.

Beth smiled to herself. She wanted to sing, wanted to dance, and shout her joy, but had tamped down that urge. Instead, she closed her eyes and let sleep take her away, still tasting Daryl on her lips.

**xxXxx**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Walking Dead.**

**Author's Note: Please review!**


	3. Lover

Chapter Three: Lover

As the week wore on, Ken noticed the dip in energy amongst the group. Everyone kept looking at the sky, hoping that it would keep raining so the heat wouldn't return.

She occupied herself; whether it was talking to someone, sharpening her knives, or hunting and gathering water.

Ken found herself talking to Tara the most now. The other girl was shy but Ken found that endearing. Every now and then, Ken would test the waters more and more. First was holding Tara's hand briefly, then kissing her on the cheek.

Ken and Tara weren't the only ones dancing around each other like that. It was obvious to everyone else that something was up with Beth and Daryl. Ken figured that their relationship was progressing at a healthy pace, due to the girl's flushed cheeks and the look Daryl got every time he looked her way.

Finally they came across an abandoned farmhouse that looked sturdy. There was no walkers inside, which Ken figured was a plus. The group settled in for the night.

Ken, feeling oddly restless, went upstairs and out onto the widow's walk. The air was cool and it looked as though it was going to rain again. Sighing, she leaned against the railing and pulled out a cigarette.

"Mind if I bum one of those?"

Ken's brow raised when she saw Daryl stroll outside. "Sure," she replied, offering him one.

He placed it between his lips before pulling out a lighter. Once his cigarette was lit, he handed the lighter to Ken. She took it, flicked it, and then handed it back. They inhaled deeply together before blowing out twin streams of smoke.

"So," she began, glancing at him. "You and Beth, huh?"

"_Mhm_. You and Tara, huh?"

Ken smirked. "Haven't gotten around to the sneaking around part. Figured I should take it slow."

Daryl made another noncommittal sound. "Smart."

Ken gave him an amused look. "I like a man of few words," she said teasingly.

Daryl blew out another puff of smoke. "Ain't got a long to say."

"To each his own." Ken took another long drag. "You like her though. Beth."

"Yeah."

"Got the big sister lecture from Maggie yet?" Ken asked. When Daryl just stared at her, she laughed. "You know, the whole 'if you ever hurt her, I'll kill you' thing."

"No."

"Well that's a shame. I hope I'm there to see it."

Daryl snorted, stubbing out the butt. "Thanks for the smoke."

She nodded. "No problem."

When she was alone again, she gazed out into the distance. Her fingers tapped a staccato beat against the railing. When someone cleared their throat, Ken glanced over her shoulder again.

To her surprise, it was Tara. Ken smiled and turned so she was facing her. "Hey," she said.

Tara walked over, playing with the hem of her shirt. "Hey."

"Want one?" Ken asked, lifting her pack.

Tara shook her head. "No, thanks. I was… Daryl said you were out here so…"

Ken reached out and pulled Tara closer. "Have I ever told you that you're cute when you're flustered?"

Tara smiled a little. "No."

"Well I'll remember that next time," Ken said with a smile.

Tara tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. She shifted so she could look out like Ken had been doing. "It's so peaceful," Tara murmured. "Sometimes you can just forget what the world is like now."

Ken watched her. "Yeah," she agreed. "Those are the moments to live for, amongst others."

Tara looked down. "I don't feel like I have much to live for," she admitted softly.

Ken reached out and took Tara's hand, squeezed. "Sure you do," Ken admonished gently. "It might not look like it now, sure, but you never know. This whole nightmare might end one day."

"You think so?"

Ken nodded. "Yeah, I do."

Tara sighed. "I hope you're right."

"Where do you think you'd be if everything was still normal?"

"I don't know," Tara replied with a shrug. "It's hard for me to picture that. What about you?"

Ken pursed her lips. "I imagine I'd still be in New York, working at whatever job I had that week. I never settled down a lot."

"Do you think you would have travelled?"

"Maybe. I think it would be nice to see as much as possible. Or at least it would have."

"Well maybe one day you will," Tara said.

Ken glanced at her, smiled again. "Maybe," she repeated. "But I like where I am now."

Tara's lips curved again. Ken reached over and brushed that strand of hair away from her cheek, tracing the soft skin there. Watching Tara closely, she stepped closer. Then, still watching, she leaned in and brushed her lips over Tara's.

When she pulled back, Tara's eyes fluttered back open. "Was that okay?" Ken asked softly. Tara nodded. "Can I do it again?" Another nod.

This time Ken cupped Tara's face in between her hands before her mouth slid over Tara's. The other woman responded, hesitantly kissing her back. Ken moved slowly, savoring the feeling. Their lips brushed and parted, brushed again. And again, it was Ken who pulled away.

"Wow," Tara breathed quietly.

"Yeah," Ken whispered. "Wow."

Ooo0ooO

Beth tucked herself away in one of the back rooms, wanting some quiet. She hummed to herself as she fixed her hair, pulling her fingers through the mass to untangle it.

She heard a floorboard creak and saw Daryl standing in the doorway. She smiled at him and gestured for him to come in. When he did, he closed the door behind him.

Since she was sitting at an old vanity, he sat down at the edge of the bed. She turned to look at him. "Is everyone asleep?" she asked.

"Sasha's keeping a look out," Daryl said, running his hand through his hair. "Everyone else called it a night."

"You couldn't sleep?"

"Nuh uh."

Beth bit her lip and gathered her courage. She stood up and walked over to him. Butterflies danced in her belly as he watched her. Slowly, she moved forward until she was straddling him, with her knees on either side of his hips. She rested her hands on his shoulders before running them up into his hair.

"Well, I'm not tired," she whispered. "What should we do?"

"Got a few ideas," Daryl replied before kissing her.

Beth's lips curved against his. His hands slid up her thighs and gripped her hips before he gently shifted so she was lying down on the bed, with his body covering her own.

She tilted her head to the side and groaned softly when his lips traced the length of her throat. He dipped down and placed her hands over her head. She watched him, trembling slightly.

"You okay?" he asked, his blue gaze intense.

She nodded. "I… I want you, Daryl," she admitted, a blush creeping over her cheeks.

Daryl's body grew tense. "You gotta be sure," he told her, his voice rough with desire. "You gotta be sure, Beth."

"I am," she whispered. "Please, Daryl."

When his lips descended on hers again, she moved her hands so she could help him out of his shirt. He pulled hers off and she shivered when their bare skin brushed. As his lips moved to explore more of her, her hands clenched the sheets and she bit her lip hard.

Her breath sawed out of her when he unclasped her bra and she gasped when he tasted her. He moaned her name.

The rest of their clothes came off eventually, since Daryl moved slowly, so slowly that Beth wanted to curse at him. She was breathless and murmuring his name again and again as he touched her and kissed every inch of her body.

Impatient, Beth managed to roll him under her. She pinned down his shoulders with her hands and kissed him desperately, rolling her hips against his. Daryl's eyes rolled back at that movement and she felt a jolt of triumph.

In turn, she touched and explored him, tracing the scars and tattoos he had. His body was rigid from his self-control, covering lightly in sweat. But her gentle, curious touches were quickly undoing him, so Daryl flipped her onto her back again.

Their gazes clashed and Beth gripped his upper arms. "Please," she beseeched.

Daryl kissed her again before he slid inside her. He kept moving slowly, making sure she was okay. Beth gasped his name before running her nails up his back, encouraging him.

The hours seemed to melt away as they moved together. Daryl brushed the hair away from her cheek, and she kissed his shoulder. When she wanted release, she moved her hips faster. Daryl the gripped her hips, tilting them, before he increased his pace. Beth threw her head back, biting her lip so she wouldn't cry out.

The pressure was slowly mounting, building deep within her gut. She clawed at Daryl, desperate, and soon came undone in his arms. Daryl buried his face in her neck and groaned out her name one last time before they rode out the aftershocks.

A little while later, Beth curled into Daryl's side. He was running his fingers up and down her back gently, his eyes closed. She kissed his shoulder again before sighing deeply. She fell asleep to the sound of his heart beating steadily against her cheek.

Ooo0ooO

Kendra woke up to the sound of singing the next morning. She smiled to herself when she recognized Beth's voice. She sat up and glanced down. Tara was sleeping quietly beside her.

They had stayed up late talking before moving into a room that looked like a den. They had both fallen asleep on the couch.

Ken smiled. Leaning down, she kissed Tara's cheek gently. "Wake up," she whispered.

Tara shifted slightly before sighing. Her eyes opened and were sleepy. "Do I gotta?" she mumbled.

Ken's smile widened. "I'm afraid so."

"Don't wanna."

"I bet I can convince you to get up. How about a trade?" Tara lifted a brow. "I'll kiss you if you get up."

"I didn't think you'd resort to bribery," Tara teased.

Ken leaned down and kissed her firmly on the lips. "It's not bribery if I enjoy it too."

"_Mmm_," Tara hummed, leaning up to deepen the kiss.

They managed to stumble downstairs after another half hour had passed. Rick and the rest of them were outside, where they were debating where to go from here.

"My neighborhood had walls," Noah was telling them. "I think we should go there."

"Do you remember how to get there?" Rick asked.

Noah nodded.

"I think we should keep moving," Sasha said, crossing her arms. "Maybe we can find somewhere to bunker down in for a while, like the prison."

"It wouldn't hurt to see the place Noah is talking about," Glenn commented. "If it isn't safe, we move on."

Rick nodded. "I agree with Glenn. Anyone got any other suggestions?"

When no one answered, Rick nodded once more. "All right. Let's go. Lead the way, Noah."

Ooo0ooO

A few hours later, it began raining again.

Beth sighed, wishing that they had stayed at the farmhouse a little while longer. It had been difficult rolling out bed this morning for a number of reasons.

She glanced at Daryl, who was walking with Rick, and holding Judith. Beth smiled. Lil Asskicker, he called her. It suited her in some way.

Her thoughts then strayed to what had happened last night. Her smile widened.

"I know that look." Beth looked to who was talking and saw Ken smirking at her. "You and Daryl, huh?" Ken asked in a quiet, teasing voice.

Beth blushed. "Maybe."

"Uh huh. That's a yes." Ken grinned. "Hey, there's no need to be embarrassed. There's no shame in having sex and enjoying it."

Beth's ears began to burn. "Still. It's…private."

Ken lifted her hands as a sign of peace. "You're right. I shouldn't butt in. Sorry if I made you uncomfortable."

"No, it's…" Beth sighed. "I don't really have the words."

Ken nodded in understanding. "You're young and you're in love. If I were you, I'd enjoy it as much as possible, especially in the kind of world we live in now."

Beth smiled. "I am. I will."

Ooo0ooO

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Walking Dead.**

**Author's Note: Please review!**


	4. Fighter

Chapter Four: Fighter

Beth found herself humming as the group followed Noah back to the place where he was before he ended up in that hospital. The sun was shining again, but the air stayed cool thanks to the recent rain.

She walked beside her sister, holding Judith in her arms. Judith gurgled and blinked at Beth, which made the older girl smile.

Eventually, her gaze strayed towards Daryl. He was walking with Michonne as usual, who was talking quietly with Rick. Everyone else was spread out, eyes ready and alert.

Judith began gurgling again, bouncing in Beth's arms. She smiled, kissing the infant's forehead softly. Humming again, she knew what would keep the little girl quiet.

_"I walked by colorful sidewalk.  
Children with buckets of pastel chalk.  
And I thought of you, my love.  
I thought of you.  
So I walked until the sun went down,  
I thought that no one else was around.  
Until I saw you, my love,  
Until I saw you."_

Beth didn't seem the rest of the group grow quiet as she sang softly to Judith. Her eyes were dreamy as she kept singing.

_"You build castles in the clouds, when the sky was clear and blue  
No one else sees cloud castles 'cept for me and you,  
And the grayness turns to glitter, with a laugh and a wink,  
All the buildings are outlined in orange, and gold and pink."_

Beth adjusted Judith in her arms, since the baby's eyes were growing heavy. She snuggled trustingly into the crook of Beth's shoulder with a thumb in her mouth.

_"My black, white life turns to color  
But baby, I'm with another,  
When you pull out your suitcase of finger paints  
My cheeks burn red from your kisses  
My blue heart shivers and misses  
Your brushstrokes, a masterpiece made in the rain.  
Made to wash away."_

When Rick came over, Beth easily passed Judith to him, who merely sighed before curling against her father. He nodded at her and she smiled.

"You have a pretty singing voice," Noah said. The tall boy had been walking on Beth's right and had stared at her in awe when she had lulled Judith to sleep.

"Thanks, Noah," Beth said with a slight blush.

"Do you take requests?" Ken called out with a smile.

Beth laughed, her blush deepening.

Ooo0ooO

The light mood quickly darkened when the group approached Noah's old neighborhood. The tall teenager had left Beth's side to walk in front with Rick and Glenn, his eyes tense with anxiety.

It was an older neighborhood that looked run down from everything that had happened. Walls had been erected, but they didn't look very solid or stable. Everyone was on high alert, each of them clenching a weapon tightly in case there was trouble.

Yet no one was prepared for Noah to shout and to sprint off down the street. Some of them took off after him, including Tyreese and Kendra.

Ken, who was an avid runner, managed to close in on the teenager. He might have gotten a head's start but due to his leg injury, he couldn't move as fast as she could.

She grabbed him, holding his arms against his sides as he struggled against her hold. "No! No, that's my _house!_" Noah began screaming.

Ken gritted her teeth before twisting their bodies so they both landed in a heap on the front lawn. She clamped a hand over his mouth. "Do you want every walker here to know where we are?" she hissed. "This place might be full of them!"

Noah's eyes widened and quickly filled with tears as he thrashed against her. She cursed herself for sounding so heartless. She dropped her hand away from his mouth but narrowed her eyes at him in warning. "Keep quiet," she told him in a low voice. "Come on."

Noah stood and walked towards the house at a much slower pace. His fists were clenched at his sides as he stepped through the front door.

Ken grimaced at the smell. There was no getting used to the smell of rotten flesh and death. They walked through the home, but Ken's instincts told her to get the hell out of there. She reached out, grasping Noah's arm. "Come on," she said, getting ready to pull him back towards the front door.

Noah stared at the state of his old house with a lost look. "I… I thought…"

Ken gently pushed him back towards the door. "There's nothing you could have done." Her gaze lifted and she saw Tyreese at the doorway. She shook her head at him and his massive shoulders fell a little. The older man grasped Noah's shoulders and lead him back outside.

Ken spared the house one last look before she followed them. The hair on the back on her neck stood on end. Every part of her was saying that this place was not safe, that they needed to move on yet again.

Rick was gathering everyone in the middle of the street. She noticed most of them were carrying supplies they had found in different houses. Beth was holding Judith again, distracting her so the baby wouldn't get upset and cry.

"Is he okay?" Tara asked Ken, who was looking at Noah.

Ken shook her head. "Poor kid," she sighed.

Suddenly, there was a shout.

Ken whirled around just in time to see a small walker try to clamp its teeth in Tyreese's arm. The larger man, who had been distracted by consoling Noah, managed to shake it off before it could take a chunk out of his forearm. Ken felt the air get stuck in her throat.

The walker was a boy, who had probably been seven or eight when it was turned. Yet what made her blood run cold was the resemblance it bore to Noah, who was staring at it with huge eyes.

"Noah, look out!" Beth screamed, causing Judith to cry out.

The walker had turned its milky gaze to the teenager, who seemed like he was rooted in place. With all of the commotion, other walkers began pouring out of the houses, groaning and snapping their teeth.

Ken fell back in line with the others. Michonne and Daryl took point with Rick and Glenn, followed by Carol, Abraham, Tara, and Rosita. Ken stood beside Tara, and Maggie was with Glenn. Beth and Carl stayed behind the others, shielding Judith while also trying to calm her down.

Daryl was the first to strike, sending an arrow through a female walker that was closing in. Carol shouted and the group fanned out, surrounding Judith, Beth, and Carl, so that they were defending themselves at all sides.

Ken was shocked when she saw Noah take out the small walker, yet she felt something crush her chest when she saw the tormented look in his eyes. Her attention quickly turned to another walker.

Lifting her foot, she kicked it square in the chest. She clenched her teeth and quickly slammed her knife into its skull.

The group systematically took out the small group of walkers. While one member engaged the walker, someone else would watch their backs. When it was over, they all stood together, their breathing labored.

In silent agreement, they quickly departed the neighborhood before more walkers could show up. Each of them followed Rick, who lead them back into the forest, but still followed the road. The pace was much different than it had been this morning, with the members at the edges keeping a wary eye out for any walkers that might have been drawn in by the sounds of the fight.

It was only when they were miles away did Rick finally slow down. Ken and Tara exchanged a worried glance, since Noah was staring at the ground with an expressionless look in his eyes.

But before either woman could act, Beth was the one who went to him. Having passed Judith back to her brother, Beth walked beside him. She slipped her arm along his waist, as though to carry some of his weight. The taller teen finally blinked at her before leaning against her, his head lowering and shoulders shaking in silent sobs.

Ken, feeling at tearing sensation in her chest again, sought out Tara's hand to hold. Tara held it tightly, brushing her thumb over Ken's knuckles soothingly.

Ooo0ooO

Daryl watched Beth walk with Noah, who had stopped crying a mile or so back. She was whispering softly to him and Daryl watched as Noah smiled a little.

He shook his head, blowing out a breath. He knew that Beth was a giving soul, the kind of person who would take some of your troubles away and would leave you in a better place. She was kind to her core. A lover in every sense of the word.

Yet he acknowledged that with that love came with a fierce streak. There was no denying that that girl was not just a lover, but a fighter. Out of that kindness came a fire that could burn brighter than the sun. Yes, Beth Greene was a fighter and those around her felt and adopted that fire.

He almost smiled.

There was one thing he knew for certain, and that was that he didn't ever want to stop being around that fire.

"She's something," Michonne said, noticing his stare.

"Mhm."

Michonne gave him a knowing look. After being around Daryl for some time now, she understood that he wasn't a man of many words, but a man of many actions. And when it came to Beth, all the words that could have been spoken always were written out in the way he looked at her.

Michonne smiled to herself. She glanced to her left, and noticed Carol giving Daryl a little smile that was going unnoticed.

The two women shared a similar look when Carol met Michonne's gaze. Carol, having been around Daryl even longer than Michonne, seemed to be able to read him like a book. Michonne admittedly enjoyed watching those two interact, since Carol knew how to leave Daryl ruffled in a way that spoke of their strong friendship and understanding of one another.

Michonne thought that that kind of bond seemed rare in a time like this, and was something to be kept if it was found.

Ooo0ooO

When night came, Rick and Glenn decided to keep the group concealed within the woods. Both of them, along with Abraham and Tyreese, agreed to keep watch throughout the night. Maggie and a few others set up small traps around where the group was settling down so they would be alerted by some kind of sound if a walker was approaching.

Carl stayed with Judith since Beth was sticking close to Noah still. The floppy haired teenager didn't mind. His sister was his priority, just like he knew Beth's friend was hers.

Ken settled down between Rosita and Tara. She linked hands with the latter, knowing she wasn't going to sleep well tonight, not after today's events. Briefly, she wished they had stayed back at the old farmhouse, wondering that if they had, if today could have been avoided entirely. She doubted it, but she wanted to imagine that it would have made a difference.

Ken tapped her fingers against Tara's, making the other girl smile. She smiled as well, her mind wandering again.

She wished that all of them could find a place to stay longer than a few days. She wished that she didn't have to sleep with the fear of being woken up by a pack of walkers or maybe not even waking up again.

As her eyes drifted shut, Ken sighed, holding Tara's hand more firmly as she slipped into a light sleep.

A little while later, she was woken up briefly by Tara, who was pressing herself against Ken's back. Ken smiled and turned over, their foreheads now brushing. Tara was sound asleep, but Ken kissed her softly before falling back asleep.

Ooo0ooO

Rick and the other men kept up their constant vigilance throughout the night. Daryl woke up halfway through the night so Rick could go lie down with his kids. Rick was grateful for the small gesture.

Judith was sleeping peacefully in Carl's arms. Rick smiled and kissed her forehead before running a hand over his son's hair.

He glanced around at the rest of the group. Maggie was close to her sister and Noah, just as the others were clustered close to others they cared about. Even the newest member was curled up with Tara.

Rick relaxed slightly. He was glad that no one had gotten hurt today, especially since it had been a close call with Tyreese. He ran a hand over his beard. Losing someone in the group was never easy.

Leaning against a tree, Rick stayed awake so he could watch over those who were still fighting each day to survive.

Ooo0ooO

**Disclaimer: I do not own TWD.**

**Author's Note: I know this story somewhat follows the show's plotline, but I couldn't bear Tyreese's death, so I made sure he survived too. I don't agree with the whole killing off "minor" characters to add a wow factor to the story. That is not what they are there for. End rant.**

**This chapter also includes "Masterpiece" by Emily Kinney. I couldn't resist the idea of Emily singing one of her own songs as Beth. **

**Please review! **


	5. Hunter

Chapter Five: Hunter

Daryl and Beth went off on their own the next day. Beth, feeling curious, followed Daryl deeper into the woods. He hadn't said much after he had woke her up at dawn.

When he stopped and crouched down, she peered over his shoulder. And there in the mud was a small hoof print, one that she recognized belonged to a deer.

Daryl's gaze shifted, scanning the trees. Then he looked up at her. "Where did it go?"

Beth's brows furrowed together. "What- oh." He wanted to teach her how to track and hunt. Kneeling down, she examined the trail of prints before following them.

Daryl shadowed her, his grip firm on his crossbow. She allowed herself to concentrate, knowing he would keep an eye out for any trouble.

Beth knew what to look for- broken branches, crushed leaves- and focused on the small path that the hoof prints were leading her down. Then she heard the sound of a river and grinned.

Lengthening her stride, she walked down to the river. The tracks stopped at the edge of the water and didn't continue along the banks. "It crossed the water," she muttered to herself, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.

Daryl stopped beside her. "Mhm."

She slanted a look up at him. "So do we keep going?"

Daryl glanced out across the river before shaking his head. "We should get back."

Beth stepped closer to him, brushing her fingers over the back of his hand. "We don't have to go back…right now," she said softly, peering up at him from under her lashes.

Daryl's gaze burned as it met hers. Then he reached out, cupping the back of her neck before drawing her in closer. His lips devoured hers, and before she could pull in her next breath, she was pressed against a tree.

Beth moaned, pulling him closer, liking the feeling of his hard body pressing against hers. She ignored the bite of the bark against her skin as she kissed Daryl back. Her hands quickly dipped down, tugging at his belt. Daryl began pulling at her clothes too, yanking until her pants were off and her top was pulled down to expose her breasts.

She cried out when his mouth covered her nipple and her fingernails dug into his shoulders. His fingers slid along her seam before one dipped inside, coaxing her wet folds. Her head was thrown back as he stroked her, then exclaimed his name when his thumb began rubbing her clit in small, gentle circles.

Finally, she managed to undo his belt and zipper before her hand closed around his hardened member. He grunted and thrusted against her hand when she stroked him from base to tip.

"Beth," he grounded out before he pulled free from her grasp, only to thrust inside her.

Her eyes fluttered close at the feeling of him inside her, hard and pulsing. She bit her lip when he began thrusting, filling her with long, deep strokes. Her hands slid up to grip his tense shoulders, her nails creating half-moon grooves in his skin.

His forehead dropped onto her shoulder as his hands spread her legs further, before he slid out and pounded back inside her. She cried out again, pulling him closer, encouraging him to move faster.

"Please," she beseeched.

Daryl growled against her ear before he picked up the pace, taking her hard and fast. She didn't feel the bark scraping her shoulders and back, she only felt him. He consumed her senses and she felt like she was drowning.

Tension coiled up in her lower stomach and her fingers dig tighter into his shoulders. She chanted his name mindlessly, begging him to give her release. Then one hand found her clit again and began to rub.

That sent her over the edge as she clamped down hard on him as she came undone. She muffled her cries against his neck as her hips spasmed, and groaned when Daryl began moving erratically until he joined her. He thrusted into her a few more times before stiffening, groaning out her name.

Beth clung to Daryl as her body rode out the aftershocks. She trembled slightly. Daryl shifted, turning so he could sit down with her in his lap, while staying inside her. She pressed her forehead against the crook of his neck, panting slightly.

Daryl's fingers combed through her hair, tugging gently at the small braids that were woven into her messy ponytail. Her eyes drooped at the sensation but she pulled back slightly so she could look at him.

His eyes were closed but a small smile curved his lips. She reached out, brushing the hair off of his forehead. Then she traced the curve of his jaw, the dip of his chin, the soft length of his lips. His eyes snapped open to watch her. She smiled as she traced his neck, then his collarbone.

Daryl made a soft noise under his breath as she kept touching him. Not quite a sigh, not quite a moan.

"What are you thinkin' about?" she asked in a whisper.

His hand reached up and traced the curve of her cheek. "Nothin'."

She smiled slightly again. "Liar."

"I ain't a liar."

"Uh huh," she said teasingly.

His hands then fastened themselves on her slender hips against and she gasped when he rolled his hips against her. She could feel him hardening inside her and her hands grabbed onto his upper arms.

"Again?" she breathed.

His blue eyes burned once more as they met hers. "Again."

Ooo0ooO

Tara watched Daryl and Beth when they came back a few hours later. Each of them were holding a pair of rabbits and Beth was also holding a couple of squirrels. Her lips twitched when she saw how disheveled they were and the slight flush of color of Beth's cheeks. She chuckled to herself.

Rick had decided to stay in the small clearing for a few days, sending Daryl out with others to hunt, while Michonne lead smaller parties to search the area for walkers and places to sleep at night.

Right now, she was helping Maggie and Glenn set up small traps that would set off to alert the group if a walker was coming their way. Everyone seemed more relaxed now that they were away from Noah's old neighborhood, but the teen seemed distraught over the events that had unfolded there.

Tara winced when she thought of that young walker that had nearly bitten Tyreese. She wasn't able to think about what would have happened if he had been bitten. Tyreese was a valuable member of the group.

Her gaze strayed to her left. Kendra was standing with Rosita, talking to the other girl quietly. Both of their gazes were latched on Eugene, who was sitting under a tree next to Abraham. The latter was whittling a branch with a large knife, brows furrowed.

Tara sighed softly to herself. She tied a piece of wire against the trunk of a tree, tugging it to make sure it was secure, then stepped back.

"Thanks for the help," Glenn said, smiling at her.

She smiled back and nodded. Then she walked back over to Ken and Rosita.

"Going to D.C. to stop this- oh hey, Tara," Rosita said when she realized Tara was walking up to her and Ken.

"Rosi was telling me about Eugene," Ken explained with a wry smile.

Tara glanced over at Eugene, who was scratching his head, messing up his mullet. "He's a good guy," she said with a shrug. "Hopefully he can do something."

"I'm sure he can," Ken said with a nod.

Then they turned when they heard Rick's call. They made their way over to him. Tara noticed his expression was more serious than usual and his fingers were tugged at his beard.

"Michonne, tell them what you told me," he said, stepping aside.

Michonne leaned her weight back on one leg, crossing her arms. "A couple miles out, there's a camp or settlement. They have walls, big ones. Couldn't see how many people there were but they got plenty of security. People with guns."

There was some murmuring before Rick motioned for everyone to quiet down. "We don't know who these people are or if they're friendly," he said firmly. "But they have supplies, weapons."

"What are you suggesting, Rick?" Abraham said from the back of the group.

"We go in when it's dark, scout the place out, take what we can."

Ken spoke up this time. "What if they _are_ friendly? What if they let us in? That means shelter and food."

Rick's lips thinned. Tara knew he was thinking of the situation with the Governor. She reached out, taking Ken's hand and squeezed. When Ken looked at her, she shook her head.

"There's no guarantee about that," Rick continued.

"But Rick, if we sneak in… what if we're caught?" Beth asked, looking apprehensive. Her own hand was wrapped inside Daryl's.

"Then we'll take the area for ourselves," Rick declared.

"But Michonne just said she doesn't know how many people there are, there could be too many for all of us to handle. That means putting our lives at risk without giving this more thought," Rosita protested, narrowing her eyes at the group's leader.

"Dad," Carl said, stepping up beside his father. "We need to think this over."

Rick's jaw ticked but he nodded. "All right. What do you guys suggest?"

"I could head back out there," Michonne said. "Bring a few people with me. We can see if they're willing to talk."

"I'll go," Glenn offered. "You could stay with the others."

Rick nodded again. "Anyone else?"

Daryl and Beth stepped forward together and so did Tyreese and Sasha. Rick then looked at Michonne. "Leave at dawn," he told her. "Make your approach obvious. We don't need anyone getting mistaken for a walker."

Tara's hand tightened around Ken's. The other woman squeezed her hand reassuringly. Tara watched as Michonne nodded before everyone began going back to what they were doing before.

"I hope this works," Tara whispered quietly.

"It will," Ken murmured. "Michonne knows what she's doing."

Ooo0ooO

The next morning, Michonne and her small group left, taking the road towards the safe-zone camp.

Beth watched Judith for Rick, who was off with Daryl. She hummed and sang for the infant as she helped Carol with resetting the traps that Glenn, Maggie, and Tara had set the other day. Some had went off thanks to small animals.

"What are you singing to her?" Carol asked, drawing Beth out of her thoughts.

"Oh, just a lullaby my mom used to sing to me," Beth said with a small smile.

"It's pretty."

Beth's smile widened as she kissed Judith's soft cheek.

"_Into the Woods of Dreams  
We go each night  
Gathering golden fruit from every tree  
And if a night mare thunders through  
Why, just hold on to me_

_Sleepy head  
Tired little child  
The woods are very lovely  
So mysterious and wild  
Sleepy head  
May I go with you _

_Into the Woods of Dreams so true…_"

Judith was dozing when Beth finished singing, resting her head against Beth's shoulder trustingly.

Carl came over to take her and Beth went back down to the river that her and Daryl were at the other day. She filled two canteens full of water and her gaze went out across the water.

The wind was stirring the trees gently, making the grass and flowers sway as well. Her gaze lowered as her fingers danced among the small blooms along the riverbanks. She plucked a few, studying their pale blue petals and white and yellow center.

_Forget-me-nots_, she thought to herself. Her lips curved as she placed them in her hair, weaving them into the braids there.

She sat there for a while longer, lost in her thoughts. It was moments like this she could forget about everything that was happening and that had happened.

Daydreaming, she imagined a world that wasn't like this one. She imagined a place where everyone could live together, a place where her and Daryl could be happy. She smiled when she thought of moonshine and yellow golf shirts.

Then she stood up, brushing the grass off of her jeans. She wondered where Rick and Daryl were.

As she walked back to the clearing, she noticed everyone else was doing mundane tasks. Ken and Tara were mending a shirt that belonged to Eugene, Rosita was sitting with Abraham, nestled against his side, her eyes closed. Carol was talking to Maggie, and Carl was entertaining Judith.

Beth sighed and walked over to her sister. Maggie smiled when she saw her approaching. "Where were you?" Maggie asked.

"By the river," Beth replied. She reached out, pulling a forget-me-not from her hair, then slid it along Maggie's ear. "Pretty."

Maggie chuckled before embracing her sister. "Not as pretty as you."

Then there was a shout and Beth turned in time to see Michonne making her way back towards their camp, walking with the others as well as Rick and Daryl.

"What is it?" Maggie asked, turning to face them.

"The camp," Michonne began as everyone came forward to hear her. "It's called Alexandria. And their leader, she's offered for all of us to come in."

Ooo0ooO

**Disclaimer: I do not own TWD.**

**Author's Note: Next stop- Alexandria!**

**This chapter included the lullaby "The Woods of Dreams" by Laszlo Slomovits.**

**Review Responses:**

**brady66- Don't worry, this story is completely Bethyl. I'll keep up the Bethyl interactions just for you.**

**fancyfaye- Thank you, you are awesome.**

**little miss michelle- I'm really really glad you're liking this!**

**DarylDixon's Lover- Why don't you like Kendra? Is there something about her character that I can improve on? I'm open for suggestions!**

**Please keep reviewing!**


	6. Leader

Chapter Six: Leader

"Why don't you take a seat?"

Ken remained standing for a long minute, staring at the room that surrounded her. It was too _clean_. She felt like a stain on a pristine white carpet.

"I understand this is a lot to take in…"

Finally, Ken turned to look at the woman standing a few feet away. She had soft brown, shoulder length hair framing kind blue eyes, which smiled at Ken. She was older than Ken by a couple decades, but time and circumstances seemed to barely have touched her.

She called herself Deanna Monroe, the leader of the community called Alexandria.

When the group had first arrived at Alexandria's gates, they were greeted by Deanna and her son, Spencer. The woman had all but welcomed them in with open arms, taking them into the community then into her home to meet with each of them individually in this large room that Ken imagined had once served as a parlor of sorts.

Ken was the last one to talk to Deanna. The others were waiting per Deanna's instructions, since she told them once she was finished she would take them to two houses where they could stay.

_Stay_, Ken thought again, turning that word over in her head.

"Ms. Cassidy?" Deanna asked, breaking through Ken's thoughts.

"Kendra, please. Or Ken," the younger woman replied, trying for a small smile.

"Very well. If I can call you Kendra, you can call me Deanna."

Ken nodded before looking around again. Slowly, she walked over to the bookshelves that lined the wall by the windows. There was a smudge of dirt on the white wall, obviously left behind by someone else from the group. She wondered who it had been.

"You're awfully trusting of a group of people you just met," Ken commented, brushing her fingertips below the smudge.

Deanna smiled. "I like to think I have good instincts when it comes to reading people," she replied.

Ken leaned back against the windowsill, meeting the leader's gaze. "What has your instinct been reading so far?"

Deanna settled down in a plush, cream-colored chair and gestured for Ken to sit across from her on the matching couch. When Ken did, Deanna leaned forward slightly, clasping her hands together.

"So far, it's told me that each of you has dealt with your fair share of hell. Yet you choose to stay together, which tells me there's a great deal of loyalty amongst all of you. So maybe that hell was something you've endured together for a while now."

Ken shifted in her seat, a movement that didn't go unnoticed by Deanna.

"But you, Kendra, stand out because you stand alone from the others," the older woman continued. "Which tells me you're either new to Rick's group or you've never allowed yourself to be accepted into the fold. Why don't you tell me which is right?"

"New," Ken replied tonelessly. "Been with them for a few weeks."

"And why did you join them?"

Ken took a moment before replying. "I killed someone," she said. "Someone who posed a threat for them, like she had with me. They found me after and Rick asked me some questions before he said I could join them."

"Questions?"

"How many walkers I've killed, how many people I've killed, and why."

Deanna nodded. "And the person you killed?"

Ken looked at Deanna levelly. "Her name was Dawn. She killed my sister."

With another nod, Deanna leaned back again. "And what role do you play in the group?"

Ken shrugged. "I do whatever needs to be done, I guess," she replied.

"Will you do whatever needs to be done while staying in Alexandria?"

"If that means safety for me and the group, then yes."

Deanna smiled again. "Then you should fit in fine here."

Ken stood as Deanna did. She took the proffered hand and shook it firmly. "Whatever you need, just let me know."

Ooo0ooO

Deanna led them down a street that was lined with large, two-story houses with neat lawns and porches. She stopped in front of two houses and turned to face the rest of them.

"You're welcome to split up in any way you'd like," she told them. "These homes are now yours."

Beth looked up at the house directly in front of her.

Rick thanked the community leader before he stepped up to the porch first, walking into the house slowly. Michonne and Glenn followed, then were trailed by Carol, Carl and Judith, Tyreese, and Sasha.

Beth stayed outside with Daryl and the others. She looked at the other house before she glanced at Daryl.

His expression was unreadable as he took in everything around them. He only looked down when she nudged his hand with her own.

"Not quite a county club, huh?" she asked with a small smile.

"No," Daryl agreed.

Beth gave him an amused look as their pinkies locked. "Better than a torn down barn too."

"You got that right," Noah said as he walked forward slowly, leaning on the porch's railings as he made his way up the stairs.

The others followed him, disappearing inside the house, leaving Daryl and Beth outside by themselves.

"What are you thinking?" she asked him in a hushed whisper.

Daryl was quiet for a moment longer before he replied. "Dunno. Something ain't right."

"What do you mean?"

He shrugged.

"It's just…"

"Too good to be true," he finished with a nod.

They were interrupted when Carol stepped outside again. The gray-haired woman smiled down at them. "Aren't you coming in?"

"I think Daryl's worried he'll track mud in," Beth said teasingly.

Carol's smile widened to a grin. "Don't worry about that. They got running water. _Hot_ water."

"Showers?" Beth breathed, her eyes widening.

Carol stepped back and gestured towards the open door. Beth look at Daryl before tugging at his hand, leading him up the stairs and into the house.

The space was crowded with everyone huddling together in the living room, but it was something none of them really considered much as they settled in. They didn't want to be divided between the two homes unless it was necessary.

Beth all but dragged Daryl to the stairs, grinning when she saw Michonne vigorously brushing her teeth in the bathroom by the stairs while the upstairs door was closed. Steam slipped out from below the door frame.

"Rick," Michonne said when she saw Beth's curious gaze. "There's another one in one of the big rooms down the hall."

Beth yanked Daryl forward as they ascended the stairs, passing by the occupied bathroom as she walked determinedly down the hall into what looked to be a master bedroom.

With a coy smile, she pulled him inside before closing and locking the door behind them. She leaned against the frame.

"What are we going to do now?" she asked before she pushed away from the door, crossing the room to where Daryl stood slowly.

"What do you have in mind?" Daryl asked in his low, gruff voice.

Beth merely grinned before she pushed and shoved him into the large bathroom. "It doesn't take a rocket scientist, Daryl," she teased. "I'm thinking of two words that start with the letter _S_."

Daryl watched her with his bright blue eyes as she tugged at his shirtfront. Her head bowed back so she could keep her gaze on his as she leaned up on her toes to tug at his bottom lip with her teeth. She smirked and nibbled, feeling a flash of triumph when his hands gripped her hips in response.

"Take off your clothes," she whispered against his ear.

He growled before he swung her around, pressing her to the clean tile of the bathroom countertop. Dirty, stained clothes were quickly removed and Beth laughed loudly when Daryl pinched at her hip then her bottom when she darted into the shower.

They both took a while to savor the feeling of hot water cascading down their bodies, turning the running water black with grime.

Then Daryl slowly traced his hands over Beth, using the small bar of soap that had been provided to wash her body thoroughly. Beth leaned against the warm tile, eyes half-closed, as she hummed when his hands traced the soft slope of her hips and thighs in small, massaging circles.

When he was done, she washed him in turn. She enjoyed tracing the valleys and angles of his body, washing away the dirt from his tanned skin. Her fingers whispered over the scars on his back and she kissed each of them softly.

Finally, he pressed her back against the shower wall before filling her.

Beth moaned as she tilted her head back. Daryl traced the length of her pale throat before dipping down to her shoulder, then running his lips along the wing of her collarbone.

The pace was achingly slow, and pleasure filled Beth from head to toe. She felt warm and it wasn't because of the running water. Her lips curved when Daryl kissed her.

Eventually, Beth began to writhe against Daryl's larger body, beseeching him to give her release. He lifted her higher, moving in long, strong strokes as his free hand curved her leg over his hip before finding her center. He coaxed her bud as his lips tugged her nipple.

Release washed over Beth like an electrical wave as her body tightened around Daryl and she held him closer. He whispered her name against the shell of her ear.

Beth opened her eyes, wondering when she had closed them. Daryl was still holding her up, his forehead pressed into the juncture of her shoulder. His heated breaths fanned her breast and she shivered.

Daryl shifted, sliding out of her, so her feet could return to the ground. As she turned off the shower, he grabbed a few towels that had been hanging next to the shower door.

Beth smiled when he wrapped her in one. He surprised her by leaning in and kissing the tip of her nose, which crinkled in response. Then she laughed when he rubbed the towel over her hair, making it flop in her eyes.

Daryl scooped her up and carried her back onto the counter. She squealed as the cool tile met her bare bottom before his hands stopped her from squirming. She stilled and watched as he dried her off just as slowly as he had washed her. She shivered when his knuckles brushed over her calf then the arch of her foot.

His eyes were intent as he moved over her and she smiled again. Reaching out, she brushed a hand over his forehead, combing the hair away from his eyes. When his gaze met hers, she leaned down and kissed him gently.

When she pulled back, Daryl's expression was now fierce with some emotion that Beth couldn't figure out. Instead of talking, he stepped forward and wrapped his arms around her waist gently, pulling her against him again.

Beth sighed and leaned her cheek against his, sliding her arms around his neck so her fingers could stay tangled in his long hair. And for a long time, they stayed like that, holding each other, breathing each other in.

Ooo0ooO

Maggie leaned against Glenn, resting her head on his shoulder. Their fingers were linked together on her lap and she turned her hand so she could see the gleam of her wedding ring. She found it to be an odd comfort as she watched it glimmer in the light.

Once everyone had cleaned themselves up, Deanna had returned to the home. She didn't seem too surprised to see all of them in one of the houses. Instead, she had smiled and nodded.

From her position on the couch, Maggie could see the others clearly. Rick and Carol stood with Deanna by the front door. The others were scattered along the living room floor and the various pieces of furniture. She could see her sister sitting on the stairs next to Daryl and Carl, holding Judith as the baby rested against Beth's shoulder.

Maggie smiled to herself. Relief still echoed through her chest whenever she saw Beth with the others.

Deanna began talking to all of them about different positions they could take up in the community. Maggie listened to the other woman, but her mind was also swirling with caution that was thanks to the events that had unfolded due to the Governor and Terminus.

It wasn't easy coming into a community like this without being wary. It was places like these that had other things lurking in its shadows, things that were nearly as dangerous as any walker.

Glenn's hand squeezed hers, bringing her back to the present. When she saw his questioning gaze, she smiled and shook her head a little. She knew there was time to express her doubts to him, but for now, she would remain quiet and would keep her eyes open.

Glenn wanted to sigh when he saw the expression in his wife's eyes. He could guess what she was thinking, since he had been able to do so over the past few years. He knew, just like everyone else, she was worried about this place.

Giving her hand another reassuring squeeze, he directed his attention to Rick. The group leader was regarding Deanna carefully while she spoke. Her words seemed to encourage a feeling of hope when it came to staying in Alexandria, but Glenn knew that hope would have to be earned, just like their trust.

He glanced at Michonne, who met his gaze briefly. He nodded slightly at her.

The katana-bearer nodded in return before she leaned against the wall. She half-listened to Deanna's words as she brooded quietly.

The taste of spearmint toothpaste lingered in her mouth, which was a flavor she thought she had forgotten.

Was it foolish of them to stay? Maybe. Toothpaste was a luxury that had been forgotten long ago. No one was going to worry about how their breath smelled in the world they lived in now. They existed in a world that always smelled.

But this place, it was clean. The smells here weren't of death and rotten flesh, but were fresh, like flowers and linen. Smells she hadn't smelled in years.

Her own suspicion stemmed from that alone. She had used the stench of walkers to hide herself from them in the time before she had joined Rick's group. Who was to say that this community wasn't hiding their own dangers by blending in with the smell of freshly gardened flowers?

Her turbulent expression wasn't missed by Carol, who stood on the other side of Rick.

Carol's own mind was working fast as she considered the possibilities that this place presented her with. And she nearly smiled.

For a long time, she had been invisible. She knew how to hide herself from people's gazes and she knew how to blend in so well she could've passed off as the very wallpaper that decorated the walls of the house.

She had escaped that kind of living when everything had happened. She had changed too much to be invisible any longer.

But here? No. Alexandria was the perfect place to become the proverbial chameleon again. That meant slipping between the cracks, and finding out what kind of place this community truly was.

Because if she knew one thing, she wasn't going to allow for this place to swallow them up if it took a turn for the worse.

So her cool blue eyes met the leader of Alexandria's and the two women regarded each other for a long moment.

Carol wished she could have the belief that Alexandria would be a place for all of them to stay and to be happy, like Deanna promised, but she knew that in the world they lived in now, life wasn't going to just drop a place like this on their laps without asking for something else in return.

Ooo0ooO

**Disclaimer: I do not own TWD.**

**Author's Note: Please review!**


	7. Protector

Chapter Seven: Protector

Daryl woke up to the sound of Beth humming quietly in the bathroom. His eyes opened and he looked over and saw her standing in front of the mirror, sectioning off her hair into braids before tying it back into one big braid.

His lips twitched. He never really understood this morning ritual of hers, since her hair looked beautiful down or pulled back, but he enjoyed listening to her sing.

He remembered the first time she had sang in front of all of them, back in the prison. Her song seemed to lift everyone's spirits and he had been awestruck by the sound of her voice and the twinkle in her blue eyes.

"_And I've got my hands in your heart, you've got your hands in my hair  
I don't know these people, let them stare  
And I've got you wrapped around my finger, you've got me wrapped up in your chest  
We keep whispering 'Why aren't we together yet?'"_

Beth turned around and saw Daryl's stare and smiled. "Morning," she said.

"Mornin'," he replied.

"Deanna says she's got a job for me," Beth said, crouching by her bag. She pulled out a shirt, then slid out of the one she was wearing.

"What's it?"

"Well, she saw how good I am with Judith, so she asked if I'd like to help out at their daycare they have. You know, watch the kids, maybe teach them a little." Beth tugged her fresh shirt in place before she glanced back at him. "Did she give you a job?"

"Didn't ask for one," he said, sitting up.

"Why not?"

He shrugged as he stood, pulling on his own shirt, then his leather vest.

"You should," Beth stated, walking over to him. She rested her hands flat against his chest, her lips curving. When Daryl only lifted a brow, she sighed. "C'mon, Daryl."

Then she leaned up on her toes, pressing a kiss to his lips. When she looked into his eyes, she touched his stubbly jaw with her fingertips. "Promise me you'll at least talk to Deanna."

"All right."

Beth smiled widely then kissed him again. "I better go," she said when she pulled away. "Deanna is probably waiting outside."

Daryl let her go and watched her walk out of the room, smiling at him one last time before she disappeared down the hallway.

Ooo0ooO

_Constable_.

Rick considered that word all morning. He knew what the word meant- a public officer responsible for keeping the peace, typically in a small town.

He eyed the uniform that Deanna had issued him. It wasn't all the different from the sheriff's uniform he had worn in the past.

"Lookin' sharp, Sheriff."

Rick glanced over his shoulder and smiled slightly at Carol. She leaned against the door frame, arms crossed.

"Michonne is waiting for you downstairs," she told him.

"What are you going to do?" he asked.

"Didn't you hear?" she asked teasingly. "I'm the new cook."

Rick's smile widened briefly before fading. "Keep your eyes and ears open," he instructed.

"Always do," Carol replied before walking away.

Rick looked back into the mirror, adjusting his uniform one last time. He dragged a hand over his now smooth chin, having gotten rid of the beard the previous night.

When he went downstairs, Michonne was standing at the front door. She looked up when she heard him coming and her brows lifted. "Oh. I've never seen…" She gestured towards her own chin.

"Figured it was time," he said with a shrug.

"Ready to keep the peace, constable?" she asked with a wry curve of her lips.

"Sure am. After you, constable," he replied, opening the door and motioning for her to go first.

As expected, Deanna was standing on the porch with her hands folded in front of her. She smiled kindly when she saw them both. "Oh, good! I just got back from showing Beth our daycare. Shall we?"

Rick nodded and followed Deanna as she headed down the stairs. Michonne followed him quietly.

Deanna began explaining Alexandria's rules and policies, what was allowed and what was not, and the punishments enacted if rules were broken. Rick listened, taking in as much as he could.

"I expect with your prior experience this should not be a challenging task for you," Deanna commented, aiming another smile at him.

"No," Rick agreed slowly. "Peace is easily kept if the people wish it to be."

"Wise words," Deanna said, giving him a considering look. Then she looked over at Michonne. "Are you prepared for this?"

Rick didn't miss the way Michonne's eyes flashed.

"Yes," the other woman replied, her tone matching Rick's.

Deanna, either ignoring or not noticing their tones, smiled once more before continuing her explanation of Alexandria.

Ooo0ooO

Something was tickling her nose. She gave it a twitch but it didn't help.

Tara's eyes flew open and the first thing she saw was a mop of messy brown-black hair.

Ken kept sleeping despite Tara's quiet laughter. She stayed curled up against Tara's side, her head tucked in the crook of the other woman's neck. Her hair, messy from dying overnight, kept tickling Tara's nose and cheek.

They had both fallen asleep after cleaning up in the downstairs bathroom. Both of them had collapsed on the large couch in the living room, with Ken nestled up to Tara.

Tara smiled a little. She never took Ken for a cuddler, but she didn't mind. It was…nice. Comforting.

She knew she would have to get up soon to begin her duties. Like many of the others, she had been elected by Deanna to become a supply runner for the community.

Ken had sighed when she had been assigned that job, and Tara hadn't missed the longing look the other woman had given the constable uniform that Deanna had passed to Rick and Michonne.

"You want to be a keeper of the peace?" Tara had asked her.

Ken had shrugged. "It just seemed like more fun."

"But now you get to get out of here."

"True," Ken agreed. "This place gives me…I dunno, the willies."

Tara had laughed at that.

Suddenly, Ken sighed softly. She shifted, putting her chin down on top of Tara's chest. She smiled at Tara sleepily. "Hi."

Tara smiled in return. "Hi. Sleep well?"

"Mmm," Ken hummed before leaning down to kiss Tara softly.

"We got to get up soon," Tara reminded her quietly.

Ken scrunched up her nose, making a face. "Five more minutes," she said, snuggling closer to Tara.

Tara chuckled. "Come on, lazy bones, get up," she encouraged, pushing and shoving.

"No," Ken protested, grinning when Tara began poking at her sides. She swatted at Tara's hands playfully but then suddenly she lost her balance and both women went toppling over the side of the couch onto the floor.

"_Oof_," Ken breathed as she broke the fall for both of them.

"You okay?" Tara asked after a beat.

"I don't think anything's broken," Ken joked.

This time, Tara was the one who folded her hands over Ken's chest, smiling down at her. "Your hair is a disaster," she stated, running her fingers through the short mass.

Ken's eyes narrowed. "Are you making fun of me?" she asked in a low voice.

"No, of course not," Tara replied, keeping her expression neutral.

"Are you guys done being gross?"

Tara and Ken jumped at the sound of Rosita's voice. Both women gave her a sheepish look before they stood up.

Rosita rolled her eyes. "We have to go soon," she informed them. "We're making a run to the nearest town."

"For what?" Ken wanted to know.

"I don't know. Stuff." With that, Rosita turned on her heel and strode out of the house, her boots echoing on the porch steps.

"That was specific," Ken muttered, arching a brow.

Tara shrugged. "She's not a morning person is all. Cut her some slack."

Ken exhaled, running her hand through her hair. "Well, we better not keep the others waiting."

Both women used the bathroom and brushed their teeth. Tara tried to comb Ken's hair, but was shooed away. When they were done, Ken reached out and took Tara's hand. "Ready?"

Tara nodded. "Ready."

Ooo0ooO

The daycare at Alexandria wasn't a typical daycare, mostly since it sported kids of all ages, starting from babies and ending with a couple of twelve year olds.

Beth smiled to herself as she walked around the large room that had been set up in the town's community center. She had spotted Carl earlier with kids his own age, who seemed to have free range of the place.

She kept her eye on Judith, who was lying on the pile of blankets with the other toddlers, sleeping soundly.

"Miss Beth!"

Beth turned and smiled down at one of the six year olds. What was her name again…? "Cassie," she said when she remembered. "I thought you were playing with Brady."

"He stole my yellow marker!"

Beth smothered a smile at the young girl's indignant tone. Instead, she nodded and took Cassie's hand, leading her back towards the other young boys and girls who were drawing in coloring books that Deanna had scrounged up.

Brady was a little towhead with large brown eyes. He sat with Cassie's stolen yellow marker, scribbling outside the lines that depicted a smiling sun.

"Brady," Beth began patiently. "Did you take Cassie's marker?"

Brady looked up at Beth owlishly. "No," he said, but it sounded more like a question.

"He's lying, Miss Beth!" Cassie cried out, stamping her foot.

"Am not!" Brady protested.

"All right, all right. How about this? Brady, you can use the yellow marker until you're done, then you give it to Cassie. And Cassie, you use the other markers until Brady needs them. Okay? Sharing is fun."

Cassie and Brady seemed to consider Beth's words before they both nodded. Cassie then sat next to Brady, picking up a green marker, and began to color in the grass below Brady's sun.

Satisfied, Beth went back over to the toddlers to check on Judith. She smiled when Rick walked inside, his eyes searching for his daughter. When he spotted Beth, she motioned for him to come over.

"How is she?" he asked.

"Just fine," she assured him. "Been asleep for about twenty minutes now."

Rick nodded.

Beth glanced at him curiously. "What have you been up to, constable?"

"Just keeping the peace," Rick replied evenly.

"And the others? Carol, Michonne, Daryl…?"

"Michonne has been helping me, although I don't need much now, so we split up the work. Heard Carol was baking cookies. Daryl's with the others getting ready for a supply run."

Rick glanced at Beth and saw the worry in her eyes. He reached out, placing a hand on her shoulder. "They'll be fine. Nothing they haven't done before."

Beth nodded, lowering her gaze.

"Thank you for watching Judith," Rick continued, looking down at his daughter. "I truly appreciate it."

Beth smiled. "Of course," she said. "It's the least I could do."

Rick looked around the room. "How are the other kids?"

She chuckled. "There was an altercation over a marker, but I don't think we'll need our constable."

"No," Rick agreed with a smile. "I think you have things under control here."

"I do," she replied, beaming. "Now, go back to your civic duty and protect us or whatever."

Rick smiled and nodded. He looked at Judith one last time before walking out of the room.

Beth sighed and went back to the group of six through eight year olds. "All right!" she called out, clapping her hands together. "Who wants me to read a story?"

A chorus of "We do's" rang out, making Beth smile widely again.

"Okay, what will we read today? Let's see…"

Once a book was picked, Beth sat with her legs crossed, surrounded by the younger kids. Cassie leaned against Beth while Judith was curled in Beth's lap, and the other kids were either lying down or sitting in front of her, watching her as she read the story. They all giggled when she did different voices and made funny faces.

Only for a moment did Beth's mind drift back to Daryl, sending out a small prayer that he was safe with the others.

But her lips curved and she reassured herself that if anyone could take care of themselves, it was Daryl Dixon.

Ooo0ooO

**Disclaimer: I do not own TWD.**

**Author's Note: This chapter included the song "Married" by Emily Kinney.**

**Please review!**


	8. Singer

Chapter Eight: Singer

Daryl left with the others to go on the supply run, using the vehicles that they kept within the camp for this reason. He rode with Tara and Ken, who kept a look out like him as soon as they exited Alexandria's gates.

His thoughts drifted to Beth briefly. It was a small comfort knowing she was safe inside the safe-zone while he was out here, and he knew that no matter what he could make sure to get back to her.

The town over was only a few miles away, so it didn't take very long to get there. It was small and looked deserted, but Daryl knew better.

When the car pulled up to the street where they would gather supplies, a small group of walkers emerged from the buildings, moaning and snarling.

Daryl took point as he loaded up his crossbow. With ease, he took down the first walker while Tara and Ken killed the others.

Once it was clear, Daryl made his way into the first building, which had been an old drugstore. He grabbed a plastic bag that was on the floor and took what he figured they would need the most. Cold medicine, acetaminophen, inhalers from the back…

After gathering as much as he could carry, he cautiously exited the store before striding to the car, putting the supplies inside the trunk. Tara joined him, carrying more things from the hardware store.

There was a shout from Ken, alerting them to more walkers which were heading down the street.

The others they had arrived with took care of the small cluster before they all got back inside the cars to drive back.

Daryl slumped in the back, satisfied that the run went smoothly. He wanted to go back and see Beth, knowing she was still with the kids at the daycare.

When they got back to Alexandria, Daryl made his way down the main street towards the town hall where Beth was. He stepped inside the large room, looking around.

Beth was sitting on the floor, surrounded by a group of kids who were listening to her read a story. It wasn't the first by the looks of it, since there was a pile of books next to her.

"And the wolf said, 'then I'll huff, and I'll puff, and I'll blow your house in!'" Beth exclaimed, changing her voice to be the Big Bad Wolf's.

Daryl leaned against the wall, listening to her finish up the story of the Three Little Pigs. Beth smiled when she saw him standing there and walked over once the kids scattered to go back to the other activities they did to keep themselves entertained.

"How did the run go?" she asked, leaning against him, linking their fingers.

"Fine," he replied.

Beth's lips quirked. "That's it? Fine?"

Daryl shrugged before he leaned down to kiss her. "Miss me?" he asked in a low, rumbly voice.

Beth gazed up at him from under her lashes. "Maybe. Did you miss me?"

"Mhm."

"Good," she said before leaning up on her toes to kiss him again.

Ooo0ooO

A couple of hours later, Deanna stopped by the daycare to see how the kids were doing. She told Beth and Daryl about the gathering that was happening that evening to welcome all of them into Alexandria, which was being held at her house.

"We'll be there," Beth told her with a smile.

Deanna nodded. "How is everyone?"

"Oh, they're wonderful," Beth said.

"Good, good. I'll see you tonight then."

Another woman entered the hall, relieving Beth so she could watch the kids whose parents had the night shift on guard duty.

Beth and Daryl walked hand in hand back towards the house, which was empty when they walked inside. Beth pulled Daryl into the shower again, relishing in this luxury.

When they were done, Beth pulled out some clothes that Deanna had left for them in the drawers of the dresser. She found a simple maroon t-shirt that she wore with black jeans and her boots. Her hair was only tied partially back so it fell down her back in blonde curls.

Daryl pulled on a fresh white shirt as well before topping it with his leather vest. Like Beth, he found a pair of black jeans.

While he sat on the bed to pull on his boots, Beth sat behind him with her cheek pressed to his shoulder blade. Then she rested her chin on his shoulder as she played with his long hair. "Should pull it back," she told him, smiling.

Daryl merely gave her a look which made her giggle. "C'mon," she said, standing up then reaching out to pull Beth off of the bed.

She rested her hand against his chest and smiled at him. "You clean up nicely, Daryl Dixon."

Daryl touched the ends of her hair, curling a strand around the tip of his finger. "Not as nice as you."

Pleased, she leaned up to kiss him.

When they got to Deanna's house, the others from their group were already there. Beth went to greet her sister first, before mingling into the crowd. Daryl watched her go, content with standing with Rick and Tyreese.

"Nice party," Tyreese commented. "Haven't been to one in a while."

Daryl snorted. "Bunch of rick folk throwin' a party while the rest of the world is fightin' to survive."

Shaking his head, he made his way through the mess of people to the table covered in food. He spotted Carol and nodded at her.

Carol smiled at him before offering him a tray of cookies. "Made them myself," she said.

He plucked one and bit into it. "It's good," he told her. "Didn't know you baked."

"Oh, I'm full of secrets," Carol chuckled.

"Good secret," he replied, waggling the cookie before eating more.

Then Deanna made an announcement which made everyone focus on her. She toasted to the new group, officially welcoming them to Alexandria. Daryl lifted the last bit of his cookie in salute before finishing it off.

He noticed that Deanna was talking to Beth again. The older woman gestured to another girl that he didn't know, who was holding an old fashioned acoustic guitar. Beth started talking with the girl and Deanna clapped her hands together.

"Let's have some music," the leader said with a smile. "Beth, if you would?"

Beth smiled and nodded.

The others formed around a loose circle around her and the girl with the guitar. Beth folded her hands together before nodding at the girl, who started strumming the instrument. Then Beth started singing.

"_Hold me close and hold me fast_

_This magic spell you cast_

_This is la vie en rose,_

_When you kiss me heaven sighs_

_And though I close my eyes_

_I see la vie en rose,_

_When you press me to your heart_

_I'm in a world apart_

_A world where roses bloom,_

_And when you speak angels sing from above_

_Everyday words seem_

_To turn into love songs,_

_Give your heart and soul to me_

_And life will always be…_

_La vie en rose.."_

Everyone clapped when Beth finished singing, causing her to blush.

"Encore!" someone called out.

Beth laughed. She looked down at the other girl, who smiled and shrugged. Beth leaned down and whispered in her ear. Once again, the girl started playing and Beth sat down next to her and started singing.

"_Carry on my wayward son_

_There'll be peace when you are done_

_Lay your weary head to rest _

_Don't you cry no more…_

_Once I rose above the noise and confusion_

_Just to get a glimpse beyond this illusion_

_I was soaring ever higher_

_But I flew too high,_

_Though my eyes could see I still was a blind man_

_Though my mind could think I still was a mad man_

_I hear the voices when I'm dreaming_

_I can hear them say…_

_Carry on my wayward son_

_There'll be peace when you are done_

_Lay your weary head to rest_

_Don't you cry no more…_"

Clapping ensued again and Beth thanked the girl next to her before she made her way over to Daryl.

"Good song," he commented.

Beth's lips curved. "I know."

Ooo0ooO

Carol watched Beth singing, surrounded by people she knew and people she didn't. She admired the younger woman's voice, which rose and fell in a natural soprano rhythm.

Her eyes scanned the crowd and met Rick's from across the room. He nodded slightly at her and she returned the acknowledgement. Her attention was then captured by Deanna's son, who was watching Beth with narrowed eyes.

Carol's own eyes narrowed at the expression on the man's face. A tingle of unease went down her spine, which seemed to happen often when she saw him. She knew she could have to keep watching him.

From across the room, Rick stayed close to Michonne and Glenn. He didn't miss Carol's sweeping glances over the still unfamiliar faces in the room. He knew she would keep a look out for anything odd and would tell him if anything stood out to her.

He did the same, noting that Carl seemed to be making friends with the kids his own age. Rick felt a rush of relief, thankful his son had found other teenagers to spend time with, since he felt as though Carl might be lonely, even though he wouldn't admit it. He was a good kid and was a good brother to Judith, but Rick understood he needed to be away from the group.

Rick wanted everyone to integrate themselves in life in Alexandria. He hoped that this place would become a safe area that they could stay in and he would do everything in his power to keep it that way.

Michonne noticed the distracted, far off look in Rick's eyes and half smiled. Shaking her head, she glanced over at Beth, who had just finished singing the second song. The younger woman waved off the calls for more songs, laughing.

She studied Beth for a long moment. When she had first met Beth, she had had her doubts about the girl, but time had changed her mind about her. Beth was growing into a strong woman, who proved herself each and every day through determination and kindness. Michonne admired her ability to find that kind of kindness despite everything she had gone through.

Beth went over to Daryl and Michonne smirked when the blonde kissed him despite everyone's curious gazes. She laughed briefly at the surprised expression on Daryl's face.

_Young love_, Carol had called it.

Michonne smiled. If that was the case, she was pleased for both of them. Happiness seemed to be a rare thing to find nowadays.

The party eventually died down as people slowly migrated back to their own houses. Michonne walked with Rick and Carol back to their place, enjoying the cool night air.

"I've already got requests for more of my cookies," Carol mused out loud.

"Well if you're taking them, I like peanut butter," Michonne said with a brief grin.

Carol laughed, bumping her shoulder against Michonne's. "You got it."

Ooo0ooO

Beth sat in the middle of the bed, watching Daryl brush his teeth. He had removed his vest and shirt once they had returned to their room. Her eyes traced the rippling muscles and the old scars that crisscrossed his skin.

She tucked her legs up, plucking at the hem of her own shirt. She had wiggled out of her jeans moments ago, leaving her in just the top of her underwear. Reaching up, she undid the hair tie that held part of her hair back and let it tumble over her shoulders.

Daryl walked back into the room, watching her. Then he stopped at the edge of the bed before crawling over to her.

Beth laughed when he kissed her neck, since his stubbled jaw tickled her. That quickly turned to a sigh when he kissed her deeply, and she pulled him down with her as she laid back against the pillows.

Daryl brushed the hair away from her eyes as he gazed down at her.

Beth adjusted her legs so he was cradled comfortably between them. Her fingers danced up his arm and shoulder, going back and forth slowly. "What are you thinkin' about?" she asked him.

"You singin'," he murmured.

She smiled.

"And you laughin'," Daryl continued, lowering his lips to her neck again.

Beth tilted her head back, her eyes drifting half shut.

"You sighin'…"

His lips descended down her chest, leaving a warm trail of kisses along the slope of her breast.

"You whisperin' my name…"

She did that now as he gently kissed her flat stomach. Her hands gripped his shoulders, silently encouraging him.

"You moanin' my name…"

Beth cried out softly when Daryl reached her center. His lips and tongue did devilish things to her, which made her toes curl and her insides knot up. Her hips jerked and his hands held her down gently.

Daryl's mouth found her bud and she gasped when he passed his tongue over it once, then twice. And when he dived deep inside her, she swore she saw stars.

Her fingers gripped his long hair as she chanted his name mindlessly. Her body rose and fell, and her heels dug into his shoulders to pull him even closer.

Daryl continued to stroke her until she climaxed. Her hands fisted the sheets as she gasped and moaned.

"Daryl," she murmured as she came down slowly, her hips twitching.

"Easy, darlin', I got you."

Beth tried to catch her breath as he crawled back up her body. She wrapped her arms around him, kissing him soundly. She could taste herself on his lips.

Then she arched her hips up again, guiding him into her body. He sank inside her slowly, then moved at the steady pace he had with his tongue.

Beth's body bowed against his, her head tilting back so his teeth could graze the sensitive skin of her throat. They sank down briefly and her eyes flew open at the sensation.

Curious, she mimicked him. She kissed his throat and shoulder, pulling him close. Then she nipped and bit at his neck and collarbone, smiling when he groaned, his hips jerking against hers sharply.

The next wave of release washed over her and her nails dug into Daryl's shoulder as she called out his name one more time. He found his own climax before burying his face in her hair, slumping against her.

She smiled with satisfaction as his body pressed hers into the mattress. Her hands played with his hair again.

"You want me to move?" Daryl mumbled against her shoulder.

"Don't you dare."

She kept holding onto him until they both fell asleep, completely tangled in each other.

Ooo0ooO

**Disclaimer: I do not own TWD.**

**Author's Note: This chapter includes the song "La Vie En Rose" by Louis Armstrong and the classic "Carry On My Wayward Son" by Kansas. I'd highly recommend looking up the lullaby version of that song, it's beautiful.**

**Please review! **


	9. Believer

Chapter Nine: Believer 

Over the next couple of weeks, Rick's group slowly adapted to life in Alexandria.

Beth enjoyed her job working with the children and fell into a comfortable routine with the others back at the house that Deanna assigned to them. Eventually the group took up residence in both of the houses provided to them.

Her lips curved when she thought about how that routine included Daryl. They had settled into the upstairs bedroom with no protests from everyone else.

Each morning, they would both get up early so she could watch the children of those who went on runs with Daryl and other members of the Alexandria clan and Rick's group. Daryl would depart by telling her that he would see her later, before kissing her.

Occasionally, she would go on larger runs with the others. These trips would last anywhere from one to three days, where they would drive out farther into one of the larger cities to collect what they could.

This morning, Deanna had informed them that they would need to make one of these trips again so they could gather supplies from a hospital thirty miles away from the safe-zone.

Beth was relieved when she learned it was not the same one she had been trapped in with Dawn.

So she helped the others load up the trucks and cars before sliding into an old Jeep with Daryl, Kendra, and Tara. Daryl drove and Beth tried to dispel the silence with some small talk. It didn't work for long, however, since they were all focusing on the task at hand.

Once they reached the city, Beth double checked the gun that was strapped to her hip before resting her hand on the knife that was sheathed against her opposite thigh.

She shadowed Daryl as he approached the hospital first. Her eyes scanned the surrounding area while she listened carefully for any telltale snarling or moaning. She didn't allow herself to relax when she didn't hear anything but silence, knowing walkers could still be close by and dormant due to the lack of noise.

Ken and Tara covered them as they walked through the broken doors of the hospital. It smelled like dust and decay, so Beth reached into her pocket and tied a bandana around her nose and mouth to keep herself from coughing.

Daryl seemed to be thinking the same thing as he mirrored her actions.

Using her knowledge of hospitals that she had picked up, Beth took point as she led the others down a long corridor down to a supplies closet. She motioned to what they might need, which Tara and Ken carefully and quietly loaded into their packs.

Suddenly, Daryl lunged out into the hallway again, lifting his crossbow.

The sound of a walker snarling caught Beth's attention and she stepped out to back Daryl up. She slid the knife from its sheath, clenching it firmly.

Two walkers approached them rather slowly, snapping their teeth.

Daryl's crossbow snapped, letting a green arrow fly right into a walker's eye socket. It slumped to the ground, causing the other to trip.

Beth darted forward and slammed her knife into its temple before it could rise again. She pulled back and whirled when she heard Ken's warning shout.

A small cluster of walkers were heading their way, branching off from a larger group that were going towards the other supply runners that had gone down another hallway.

"Shit," Daryl growled softly as he turned, aiming his crossbow again.

Ken lunged forward, shoving Tara behind her as the first walker stumbled towards them, lifting its decaying hands. She took it out with relative ease before Tara moved forward to.

Daryl glanced at Beth briefly, who nodded back at him before they strode forward to help them.

Arrows flew as Beth used her smaller stature to dodge the walker's hand and snapping jaws.

As Beth slammed a walker against a wall and put her knife into its eye, she heard another shout.

Turning, she saw that Daryl was being crowded by three walkers and was out of arrows. By the position he was in, he could reach the knife in his belt without letting his crossbow go, which was shielding him from the walkers.

Beth ripped a walker away from him, throwing it down before slamming her boot down against its skull, which gave way like rotting fruit. The other walkers turned when she caught their attention and together, her and Daryl took down the remaining few with her knife and the edge of his crossbow.

When the walkers laid at their feet, Beth looked up at Daryl, breathing heavily. "You okay?" she asked.

Daryl nodded, shoving the dripping hair from his eyes.

Beth glanced at Tara and Ken, noting that they both seemed fine.

"We're all right," Tara reassured Beth with a smile. Then she leaned slightly against Ken, lifting a brow. "That was fun."

Ken rolled her eyes, grimacing dramatically. "Yeah, right. Fun."

"C'mon," Daryl said, reaching out to touch Beth's arm. "Gotta check on the others."

Beth nodded and walked next to him back towards where the others had gone.

When everyone had regrouped, they all piled back into their designated vehicles before heading back towards the safe-zone.

This time, Ken offered to drive so that Beth and Daryl could rest together in the back seat.

Beth smiled when she saw Ken take Tara's hand in her own before kissing it gently as they pulled back onto the main road.

She then turned her gaze to Daryl, who had his head reclined back and eyes closed. Sighing softly, she rested her head on his shoulder and placed his hand on her knee, tracing shapes on the back of it.

"What are you doin'?" he wanted to know.

"Nothin'," she replied, pretending not to notice how a lot of the shapes ended up being little hearts.

Ooo0ooO

When they got back to Alexandria, Daryl followed Beth back to their house quietly. Ken and Tara took the supplies that they had gathered and told them that they would take it to Deanna before parting ways.

As soon as they reached their room, Beth began getting undressed, peeling off her dirty shirt and placing it in a hamper to be washed later. She crooked a finger at Daryl, silently telling him to follow suit and come with her into the bathroom.

He watched her as he took off his clothes, since she was already nude and switching on the shower. She smiled at him when she saw his stare and reached up to undo her hair from its ponytail.

Daryl reached out, stopping her. She blinked at him but then understood when she felt his fingers undoing the hair tie and unwinding the small braids that she had woven into her hair.

Her eyes drifted half-shut when he raked his fingers through the light mass, watching as it cascaded over her shoulders.

Then he nudged her inside the shower, still watching as her hair turned into a deep golden blonde color when it was wet. Her blue eyes peered up at him from under her lashes as she gazed back at him in turn.

Daryl reached over and picked up the small bottle of shampoo before squeezing some onto his palm. Working it into a lather, he began to gently wash Beth's hair.

Beth groaned softly at the sensation, leaning against the tiled wall.

When he was done with her hair, he picked up the bar of soap and rubbed it over her skin in small, soothing circles, like he did before. With another nudge, Beth turned around and moaned softly when he kneaded her back.

Silently enjoying her soft noises of pleasure, Daryl pressed his lips to her shoulder blade, then her neck.

Beth turned and wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him down so she could kiss him firmly.

"My turn," she whispered with a little smirk.

Daryl's lips twitched in response as she reversed their positions and pushed him gently against the shower wall. His smile faded into a groan when she washed his hair and body like he had.

When she was done, he flipped off the water and lifted her up, carrying her over to the bed. Beth squealed when he tossed her gently onto the soft sheets.

Daryl's eyes didn't miss how her small breasts bounced and how she laughed at him. Desire filed his gut as she gazed up at him with those big eyes that were surrounded by wet, gold hair.

Beth leaned forward onto her knees before taking his hands and guiding them to her hips. She shivered when their bodies pressed together, slid together, still wet from their shower.

Then, with a good twist, she managed to flip Daryl down onto the bed. He blinked at her when she straddled his hips.

Beth leaned down and kissed the length of his throat, using her tongue to lap up the droplets there. She nearly grinned when she heard Daryl groan out her name.

Daryl didn't fight her as she kept him pinned down. His fists clenched the sheets as she explored his larger body with curious hands and lips.

But Beth had other things in mind for those hands. She scooped them up and put them back onto her hips, encouraging them to explore her body as she explored his.

Her head fell back as his fingers ran along her seam, and the other hand kneaded her breast. Her hips rolled against his, and she sighed his name when those fingers dipped inside her.

When she couldn't take anymore, she batted his hand away and sank down on his length, causing both of them to groan again.

Daryl sat up, wrapping his arms around her and she placed her hands on his shoulders.

With their eyes locked on each other, she began to move. Her fingers slid into his hair and she pulled him closer, kissing him so that their tongues could match the rhythm of their joined bodies.

When she began climbing towards her release, Beth's head fell back again and Daryl kissed her throat and thrumming pulse. His hands tightened on her hips as he grounded himself more deeply into her body, making her cry out.

Her fingernails bit into his shoulders as she climaxed, pulsing and tightening around him. Daryl groaned loudly before pumping more fervently inside her before joining her.

They held each other as their bodies came down from the high. Beth pressed her forehead against Daryl's shoulder as his face remained buried in her hair.

Then he relaxed, drawing her down with him so she could rest against his chest. She rubbed her cheek against the dip of his shoulder, placing her hand over his heart.

She could feel its strong, rhythmic beat and it soothed her.

Ooo0ooO

The next day, Beth went back to the daycare and was greeted by all the kids who claimed to have missed her when she had felt for the supply run.

Pleased, Beth sat down with all of them and began reading to them, before having the older ones pass the book around. She instructed them to each read one line until they were done with the story, and helped some when they ran into some trouble with a couple of words.

She didn't notice that Daryl was watching her from the doorway, or that Deanna was standing beside him.

When the leader of Alexandria asked how the run went, Daryl merely shrugged and said, "Fine."

Deanna smiled slightly at that. "My sources say you're not much of a talker."

"Mm-mm."

Deanna's gaze fell back on Beth. "How did she do?"

Daryl glanced over at the older woman. "No one needs to worry 'bout her. She can take care of herself just fine."

"Do you think she's strong?"

Daryl wondered if that question was more rhetorical than serious, but nevertheless answered. "She's a lot stronger than you or me."

Deanna nodded, as though she was satisfied with that. "Good. We need strong people like her."

When she walked away, Daryl looked back over at Beth.

Beth was strong, he knew that for certain. He believed what he had told Deanna, just like he believed in her. Not everyone could walk out of the hospital she had been kept in, and not everyone could survive like she could.

He nearly nodded to himself.

If there was one thing he believed in, he believed in her.

Ooo0ooO

When Beth finished up at the daycare, she ran into Carol while walking back to the house.

Carol smiled at her, placing an arm around Beth's shoulders. "How's the kids?"

Beth smiled in return. "They're good."

"No scuffles over crayons today?"

"No," Beth said on a laugh. "Not today at least. What did you cook up for everyone?"

"Well, it looks like we had some luck with the rabbit snares, so I hope everyone is in the mood for stew."

Beth leaned against Carol, her smile widening. "I'm sure we'll all love whatever you make."

Carol laughed. "You're sweet. All I've been getting today is more bribes for cookies."

"Well, can you blame anyone?"

"No," Carol said, her eyes sparkling.

Beth laughed again. "I'll see you at dinner," she told Carol before bounding up the stairs to the other house to check on her sister.

Maggie was walking downstairs when Beth entered the house. She smiled at her younger sister and made her way over to embrace her.

"How are you?" Beth asked.

Maggie drew Beth into the kitchen, offering her a glass of water. "I'm fine. Being Deanna's assistant isn't all too bad."

Beth nodded. "That's good." But then she didn't miss the odd look in her sister's eyes. "But…?"

Maggie shrugged. "I don't know. Deanna's son, he just… doesn't seem too happy about all of us being here. Said we were extra mouths to feed."

Beth's brows furrowed. "Do you think he's going to cause trouble?"

"I hope not," Maggie sighed. "Being here…it feels right."

"I know what you mean," Beth said, leaning against the counter. She rapped her knuckles against the wooden underside. "Hope it isn't too good to be true."

"Me neither."

When Beth left, she went next door to see if Daryl had come back from Aaron's. The Alexandria resident had taken a liking to Daryl and had even offered for Daryl to fix up parts of a motorcycle he had scrapped together during his runs.

Beth smiled at that. She hoped that that meant Daryl was making friends.

She was pleased to find him waiting for her in their room, and the pleasure only increased when he greeted her with a smoldering kiss.

"Come on," she said, tugging at his hand. "Carol made stew tonight."

Daryl chuckled at her eager expression and let her drag him out of the room and downstairs. They went with the others to the main hall, where Deanna was waiting with the other residents.

Beth took a seat in between Daryl and Tara, nudging the girl with her elbow before smiling at her in greeting. On Tara's other side was Ken, who was talking with Michonne.

Smiling at the others from Rick's group, Beth leaned forward and grinned at Carl, who was holding Judith on his lap. Judith bounced and gurgled when she saw Beth, who was passed over to her by Carl, who claimed that Judith had missed Beth.

Beth's cheeks pinked at that before she cuddled Judith, murmuring at the toddler and humming softly.

Food was passed around and Beth encouraged Judith to take small bites of the soft stew. Beth didn't miss Rick's nod in her direction, so she smiled brightly at him in response.

In between feeding herself and Judith, Beth talked to Tara and Ken. Daryl had moved over for Carol, who struck up a conversation with him about the best way to cook rabbit's stew.

When there was a pause in the conversation flow, Beth took a moment to glance around the room. Her lips stayed curved and she wished that it could always be like this. It was times like this that made it seem like the world wasn't in ruin and there weren't walkers roaming the forests right outside their walls.

Beth sighed softly and pressed her cheek against Judith's downy hair. She could only hope that living here would go smoothly, despite the new worry she had in her stomach about Deanna's son not being welcoming to the newcomers.

Ooo0ooO

**Disclaimer: I do not own TWD.**

**Author's Note: Please review!**


	10. Fixer

Chapter Ten: Fixer

A few days later, Beth was walking down the street towards the town hall when she heard someone call out her name. When she turned to look, she saw Deanna's son jogging over to her.

Smiling politely, she paused so he could catch up. "Hi," she said. "You're Spencer, right?"

"Right. I'm glad I caught you," he replied, falling into step with her.

Beth, being naturally curious, glanced over at him. Although he didn't look suspicious, she kept what Maggie had told her in mind while she walked alongside him. "Oh? Why's that?"

"It's about Rick," Spencer said, sliding his hands in his pockets. "He got into an argument with one of the residents."

"And you came to me because…?" Beth trailed off.

"Well, I'm worried. With the way he was acting, I don't know if Rick is a man I want to see as our constable. My mother seems to have a great deal of trust in him, as well as you, so I figured I would come find you and ask… Can we trust him?"

"Trust Rick?" Beth repeated, disbelief coloring her tone. "Rick is the reason why all of us are alive."

"But his temper…"

Beth sighed. "Rick has been through a lot. He lost his wife some time back when she gave birth to Judith. We've all been through so much but Rick has always been there to pull us together and he's kept us safe. He might be a little rough around the edges, but if you give him a chance, I know he'll do his best to protect everyone here."

Then she looked over at Spencer again. "If anyone tries something funny, Rick will know," she said pointedly.

Spencer tilted his head and eyed her. "I get the feeling you don't really like me, Beth."

"I didn't say that," she replied calmly. "I just don't know you. Neither does Rick. Show him that you're someone _we _can trust."

Spencer nodded slightly. "I'll keep that in mind."

But when he didn't walk away, Beth gave him another polite look, which was a little more forced than the first one. "Is there something else?"

"Just one thing. Before you guys got here, were there more of you?"

Beth just stared at him.

"Right, I shouldn't have asked," he said, scratching the back of his head.

"We've all lost people we've cared about, you know," Beth said, looking away. "But being here as given us some hope that we'll be able to make it through this."

Spencer nodded before finally parting ways with her.

Beth watched him go, her eyebrow quirking.

_That was weird_, she thought to herself.

Then shaking her head, she walked the rest of the way to town hall, where the kids were waiting for her.

Ooo0ooO

Daryl was sitting on the porch outside when Beth returned from her shift at the daycare. He was whittling a branch with his pocket knife, humming to himself.

When she sat down next to him, he noticed the strange look in her eyes. "Somethin' wrong?"

She huffed slightly. "I had a weird conversation with Spencer today."

"That Monroe kid? What did he say?"

"He just came up to me and started askin' about Rick," she told him. "He said that Rick got into an argument with someone and he wanted to hear my opinion about Rick."

Daryl slouched further in his seat, propping a boot up against his knee. "What did you tell 'im?"

Beth shrugged. "That he's been through a lot. It was strange. Why would he come ask me about Rick? Out of everyone?"

"Dunno," Daryl replied. "Maybe you were the first one he saw."

"Maybe," Beth said, still looking uncertain. "Maggie says she heard that he isn't too happy with us being here."

"Mm. You think he'll start somethin'?"

"I hope not," she sighed, tugging at her ponytail. "If he does…"

"Rick will keep him in check."

"But that's the problem. He already doesn't trust Rick. If we start acting weird around him, he'll suspect us more."

"What can we do?"

"Maybe I should talk to Deanna. She is his mother."

Daryl frowned. "It might not be anything."

"Do we really want to take that risk?"

"You suggestin' we kick out the leader's son?"

"No! No. I'm just sayin' we should keep an eye on him. Just in case. And we should keep this quiet. If too many people know, he'll figure it out sooner or later."

"What's your gut tellin' you?" Daryl asked, looking over at her.

Beth paused, thinking for a moment. "It's telling me… to be careful. We don't want this to turn into Woodbury again."

Daryl's frown deepened. "No," he agreed slowly. "Suppose not."

Beth sighed again before looking over at what he was working on. "What's that?"

"Not sure yet," Daryl said, looking down at the branch.

Beth smiled slightly and sat out there for a little while longer, listening to Daryl's humming and the constant sound of the knife shaving away at the wood.

Ooo0ooO

"_She's my cherry pie_

_Cool drink of water,_

_Such a sweet surprise_

_Tastes so good_

_Make a grown man cry,_

_Sweet cherry pie..._"

The radio continued to play quietly as Ken kept working at a steady pace. Beside her, Daryl was hidden underneath the old Jeep they used for runs.

"You know, I don't think driving through a herd of walkers is good for the engine," she commented, grimacing when she pulled out a particularly large chunk of entrails from the front bumper.

Daryl grunted in reply.

Ken popped the hood open and peered inside. She nearly gagged at the smell of burned flesh from the walker that had met its final demise when the Jeep had crashed into it during the run that had happened the day before.

"I'll never get used to this stench. Just when I think I will, it throws in a new layer of nasty."

"Breathe through your mouth," Daryl suggested.

Ken wrinkled her nose. "That won't help much."

"Quit bitchin'."

Huffing, Ken tied a bandana around her nose and mouth and kept cleaning out the blood splattered engine. "How's the motorcycle going?" she asked, leaning down to make sure that the cylinders weren't clogged.

"All right."

"Is it ready to make any trips yet?"

"Soon."

Ken rolled her eyes good naturedly at his short answers. She kept quiet until they finished working and when they were, she closed the hood. Leaning back, she cleaned off her hands on a rag that was draped over her shoulder.

"Should be fine now," Daryl commented, running his hand over his jaw. "Alignment's good."

"Plus there's no more blood and guts, which is a considerable improvement."

Daryl snorted. "Yeah."

"We should build grills to put on the vehicles. You know, the kind they used the put on those monster trucks you saw on T.V., with the spikes and everything. That'd make driving through a herd easier."

Daryl just lifted a brow at her.

Ken smiled and shrugged. "It's just a suggestion."

"Mmm."

"Fine, we won't pimp these rides."

"What?"

Ken laughed, waving her head. "Never mind. I'm going to see if Tara wants to grab some dinner. You wanna come with?"

"Mm-mm. I'm goin' to find Beth."

"Of course," Ken said with a wry smile. "See you."

Daryl nodded as she walked away.

Ooo0ooO

Beth was with Carol in the kitchens when Daryl strode in. He ignored Carol's scolding when he snagged a carrot from the ones she was chopping up and bit into it.

Beth rolled her eyes and shook her head at him. "Did you fix up the Jeep?"

"Mm-hmm."

"How's Ken?" Carol wanted to know.

"Fine."

"He's quite talkative today," Carol commented, lifting a brow at Beth.

Beth giggled. "As always."

Daryl reached out and tugged her ponytail. "What are you makin'?"

"Stew again," Beth replied, adding more chopped veggies to the pot.

Daryl leaned over and sniffed. "Smells good."

"It ought to be," Carol said, nudging him to the side so she could add the carrots. "Haven't gotten a complaint yet."

"You make any more of those cookies?"

Carol gave Daryl a narrow eyed look. "Is that all I am to you? A cookie supplier?"

Beth grinned at Carol's mock offended tone.

Daryl's eyes seemed to have a mischievous look about them which he considered Carol. "Mm-hmm."

Then he dodged the wooden spoon that Carol swung at him while she laughed.

"Come on," Beth said, taking Daryl's arm. "Let's go before she decides to grab a knife."

Carol placed her hands on her hips and tried to look intimidating. "That's right, out of my kitchen."

Daryl's lips twitched as Beth dragged him away.

As they walked out of the main hall, Daryl reached out and stopped Beth when they heard voices coming from one of the rooms down the hall. They both exchanged a look before cautiously walking forward, keeping their footsteps light and quiet.

"I'm telling you, he's no good," someone was saying. "He's got a reckless temper."

Beth's eyes widened when she recognized the sound of the voice.

"Come now, Spencer, Rick has proven that he and his group are valuable members to our community," was the response, which came from Deanna herself.

"I don't think you should have let them in. You trusted a bunch of strangers without thinking it over!"

"I don't see why you can't give them a chance."

"We were doing fine without them! Why do you need to keep taking in strays? At this point, Alexandria will be overflowing and everything we've worked for will be for nothing because you can't say no when someone comes knocking at our gates."

"And what would you have me do, Spencer? Kick them out? That will cause more harm than good."

"That doesn't matter! The more people there are, the less resources we have. This group has already been draining the supplies we've stored and at this rate, we'll run out much faster than we would have if you hadn't let them in in the first place!"

"So what do you want me to do?" Deanna asked.

"Get rid of them! Tell them we can't support a group this size with all of the people we have to take care of already. They can manage, they've survived this far."

"And if I don't? What will _you _do?"

"I'll do whatever I have to to keep my community safe."

Daryl grabbed Beth's arm and they both walked quickly out of the hall.

Beth's heart was racing as she looked up at him with wide eyes. "What do we do?"

"Tell the others," Daryl said, looking grim.

"I don't understand," Beth said quietly. "This doesn't seem right."

"Ain't nothin' right now," Daryl said gruffly. "C'mon."

Beth followed him as they walked quickly back towards the houses. She glanced over her shoulder once, her brow creased with worry.

"This doesn't seem right," she repeated softly.

When they managed to get everyone together, Daryl told them what they had heard. Most of them had a similar reaction to his, with grim and tense looks being exchanged.

"You sure?" Rick asked, his eyes narrowed.

Beth nodded. "We're sure. But Rick… I have a funny feeling about this."

"What do you mean?"

Beth exhaled sharply. "I don't know how to explain it. We don't know anything about this guy."

"Which is exactly why we can't trust him," Sasha stated, crossing her arms. "I knew this whole place was too good to be true."

"But what reason have we given him not to trust us?" Beth asked, looking around. "Maybe we should just talk to him, give him a chance to explain himself."

"The last time we did something like that, we lost people," Sasha pointed out. "You lost your _father_."

"I know that," Beth said impatiently as her temper flared. "You don't have to remind me. I'm just sayin' Spencer isn't the Governor."

"And what if he is? Then what?"

"Then we take this place for our own," Rick said, clenching his jaw.

"How?" Beth asked, turning to look at their leader. "If we do that, we could still lose people."

"We can't take any risks-,"

"We're taking a risk regardless!" Beth exclaimed, glaring. "Y'all need to shut up and listen to me. I know bad people and Spencer doesn't seem like one of them. Let me talk to him. He's already approached me once, he might do it again."

The others stared at Beth with different degrees of surprise.

From across the room, Michonne and Carol exchanged a knowing smirk.

Beth took a deep breath. "Just give me a few days. If there's any funny business, I'll let you know. But we have to be careful about this, we can't just jump into action without thinking first. There are other people at risk here beside ourselves."

"All right," Rick said after a beat. "You have three days."

Beth nodded.

When she strode out of the house, Daryl followed her quietly. "You sure about this?"

She turned and faced him. "Yes, I am. Trust me. I can do this."

Daryl watched her carefully before nodding. "I know."

Beth tried for a smile as she reached for his hand.

_I can do this_, Beth thought silently. _I know I can._

Ooo0ooO

**Disclaimer: I do not own TWD.**

**Author's Note: Dun dun dun!**

**This chapter included the song "Cherry Pie" by Warrant.**

**Please review!**


	11. Loner

Chapter Eleven: Loner

The three days that Rick gave Beth came and went without any change. Beth had kept her eyes and ears open for any funny business, but Spencer appeared to by laying low and keeping to himself.

Beth felt frustrated, mostly with herself. Maybe she had been wrong. Maybe she missed something.

Feeling foolish, she walked along the outskirts of the community, heading towards the gardens that Deanna and a few others tended. She liked sitting over there and would sometimes pick flowers for herself or for Maggie.

Sitting down in the grassy lawn, she fiddled with some dandelions. She plucked one and blew its seeds, watching them drift in the wind.

When she saw movement out of the corner of her eye, she smiled when she saw that Deanna was heading her way. The older woman wore an old gardening hat to shield her eyes from the bright sun.

"Hello, Beth," Deanna said as she came to a stop.

"Hi," Beth returned, still twirling a puffy flower between her fingers.

"Why are you sitting out here all alone?"

Beth shrugged, looking away. "I just wanted some time to think."

"What do you have on your mind?" Deanna asked, sitting down.

"Just things."

Deanna smiled. "My boy Spencer, he goes off to think by himself too. I think he gets that from his father."

Beth flickered a look at the older woman, not sure what to say.

"I know there's some friction between your group and him," Deanna continued. "He's a good man deep down. But after a while, livin' this way, everyone changes."

Beth nodded mutely, her gaze now flickering to the pale scars on her wrists.

"That's why I'm glad we have this place," Deanna said, looking around. "People might change, but Alexandria will last."

"Do you really think so?" Beth asked.

Deanna nodded. "That's what I hope for. I believe this life won't last, so we might as well live in as much comfort as we can."

"I hope so," Beth whispered, picking at the grass now. Then she looked up to meet Deanna's kind gaze. "Why doesn't your son trust Rick?"

Deanna sighed deeply. "Spencer and I haven't had it easy, despite being here. I have to choose who gets to stay and who has to go, and mistakes have been made. Spencer is just a little wary is all."

Beth frowned slightly.

Deanna didn't miss the look on Beth's face. "Is there something else, something you're not telling me?"

"Oh no… No. It's just…" Beth sighed. "We're a little wary too."

Deanna nodded again. "I understand. Don't worry about Spencer, Beth. He's just…lonely."

Beth considered that when Deanna stood and bid her goodbye before walking back where she came from.

Ooo0ooO

When Beth started walking back to the house, she spotted a figure walking along the wall that guarded the safe-zone from the outside. She recognized Spencer by the way he moved and cautiously stepped around the corner of a house so she could watch him.

Spencer kept walking slowly, kicking the loose gravel with the toe of his boot. His gaze stayed lowered and his hands were in his pockets. He whistled softly and tunelessly.

_He's just…lonely._

Beth's brow furrowed as Deanna's earlier words came back to her. Was he lonely because of the family he lost? Did something else happen that she didn't know about?

She felt an odd tug in her chest and wondered if some part of her sympathized with him. Maybe they were wrong about him, maybe he did have the community's best interests at heart. After all, Spencer wasn't the only person Beth knew who acted out his distrust to outsiders.

Leaning against the stucco wall, Beth kept watching him silently.

When a hand touched her shoulder, she flinched but didn't scream. She turned and had her knife poised at the person's throat within the span of a heartbeat.

Daryl appraised her with silent blue eyes.

Beth relaxed, lowering her knife and putting it back into the sheath. "Daryl," she scolded in a low voice, scowling. "Why are you sneakin' up on me?"

"C'mon," Daryl said, taking her hand to lead her away from her hiding spot.

Still scowling, Beth followed him quietly as they headed back towards the house.

Daryl stopped once they were both on the porch and turned to face her. "What were you doin'?"

"Nothing," Beth stated flatly, crossing her arms.

"Mm-hm."

"Nothing!" she exclaimed, throwing up her hands. "I was just watching him."

"It's been three days, Beth."

She narrowed her eyes. "I know."

"Rick wants some answers."

"There's nothing to say," Beth said, turning away from him. "I guess I was wrong."

"You sure?"

Beth shrugged, but didn't answer.

Daryl sighed before stepping closer to her. He tugged her ponytail and frowned a little when she pulled away from him.

Beth faced him again and exhaled deeply. "I'm sorry," she murmured. "I was being stupid. I shouldn't have assumed Spencer was up to somethin'."

"Better to be safe…" Daryl trailed off, reaching out to play with her ponytail.

Beth leaned into his hand when it caressed her cheek. "Deanna says he's just wary. And…"

"And?"

Beth met Daryl's gaze. "And that he's lonely."

Daryl's brow lifted but he didn't say anything.

"Do you think that's true?" Beth asked him, placing her hands on his chest. She picked at his leather vest. "That he's just watchin' out for everyone in his own way?"

"What do you think?" Daryl asked.

Beth shook her head. "I dunno."

Daryl sighed quietly before drawing her against him, placing his chin on top of her head. Beth pressed herself against him, closing her eyes. She felt herself relax as he rubbed her back in soothing circles.

Ooo0ooO

He knew she had been watching him. He spotted her from far away with her bright blonde hair and had nearly laughed when she had ducked behind a house to spy on him.

Spencer Monroe was many things, but a fool wasn't one of them.

He kept walking along the outer walls, keeping constant vigilance over the lookout points.

He knew that Rick Grimes and his group already suspected him of plotting something, and he didn't care. Let them confront him. He had nothing to hide.

He smirked to himself.

Growing up, he had never played his cards close to his chest. He never saw the fun in hiding and plotting and scheming. There was only action in his world and this one, since it was either kill or be killed.

Sure, that had led him to a quiet, solitary life, but he preferred that to creating emotional ties to others. Ties could be broken. All he had was his mother. He acknowledged that, but she saw the world in a naïve sort of way. He could never see it the way she did.

When the Grimes group had entered Alexandria, he had smelled trouble from a mile away. Maybe not from the little blonde or the nervous Father Gabriel who had tucked himself away somewhere quiet in the safe-zone, but his warning instincts had gone off the moment he had seen Rick.

He knew he couldn't allow for them to create trouble within the walls. If it came down to a fight, he would make sure they were all out before they could pull the trigger. They could go live in the woods again for all he cared.

So necessary precautions were set up. He had a small group of people keep an eye on the group and they reported back to him daily. He himself kept an eye on Rick, since Rick was the one he trusted the least.

All they needed was a spark to get the fire going.

He stopped and looked up to the sky.

After losing his father and his brother, he knew he couldn't allow for any more lives to be lost. He needed to keep his mother safe. He couldn't save his other family members, but he could save her.

"Moon's gonna be full tonight."

Spencer jerked and turned around.

Beth stood behind him, leaning against the wall with her arms crossed over her chest.

Spencer narrowed his eyes at her. How did she manage to sneak up on him? She hadn't before…

Beth gazed at him calmly. "I want to talk to you."

Ooo0ooO

"Yeah, about what?"

Beth ignored the biting tone. "About why you're snoopin' around, sayin' bad things about us."

Spencer sneered. "Oh yeah? How do you know that? You got any proof?"

"Nothing except for what I've seen and heard," Beth replied. She tilted her head, regarding him with cool blue eyes.

"Why don't you go runnin' back to your leader?"

"I'm not going to run anywhere," Beth said. She uncrossed her arms and straightened.

"Sure you're not. Go and tattle to Grimes."

Beth's brow furrowed. "Is that how you see me? A child?"

Spencer scoffed.

"You know, Spencer, I've been thinkin'. It seems strange that you've been so hostile towards us, since we haven't done anything to you," Beth began, circling him slowly.

"What are you getting at?" Spencer asked, watching her warily.

"But it didn't come to me until just a little while ago," she continued, ignoring him. "You see, I had a nice conversation with your momma earlier. She's said that you got a good heart, but you're just a little wary of strangers. Understandable, of course. But I thought, that isn't enough."

She paused a foot away from him.

"Then I realized somethin'. This isn't about Alexandria, not really. This is about her. She told me about your daddy and your brother. So I thought to myself, what would I do? I already lost my own daddy. If I lost Maggie…well, I'd just about do anything to keep the rest of my family safe. I'd get rid of anything that threatened them, regardless of the cost."

Beth titled her head again.

"And we're the threat, at least in your eyes. How long has it been since you've brought in outsiders?" she asked. "I'm willing to bet a while. So naturally, you see someone like Rick and you think "oh no, he's trouble". You're not wrong. But you see, Rick isn't the one you gotta watch out for." She stepped closer to him.

"No?"

"No," Beth said softly, meeting his gaze.

Then, in a blink of an eye, she had her knife pressed firmly against his throat. The sharp edge bit against his pulse, which jumped.

She smiled sweetly at him. "I'm no child, Spencer. I am something not to be reckoned with. You're not the only one with family you wanna keep safe. So you know what you're gonna do?"

"What?" Spencer spat, gritting his teeth.

"You're gonna leave them the hell alone," she whispered, leaning even closer.

And as quickly as she drew it, Beth put her knife away and took a step back.

"I'm sorry about your father and brother," she told him. "But no more lives have to be lost, Spencer. Don't you see? We want the same thing, for those we love to stay safe. It doesn't have to end with a fight."

"And you think I'm gonna just let you walk away?"

"Yes," Beth said, still calm. "Because I'm going to tell you somethin' else. You don't have to do this alone anymore, Spencer. You don't gotta defend this community by yourself. You got us now."

Spencer stared at her.

When Beth smiled again, it was gentle and genuine.

He kept staring at her when she turned around and walked away.

Ooo0ooO

The next day, Spencer was shocked to see Beth waiting for him outside by the gates to the safe-zone.

She gave him another bright smile. "Morning," she said. "Deanna said you might need help with guard duty today, so I offered to help. What can I do?"

Spencer blinked. "I…"

"You gotta post some people at the north post," Beth continued, heading down along the wall. When he saw he wasn't following her, she paused and looked at him with a raised brow. "Well come on, we got work to do."

Spencer cleared his throat before falling into step with her. "We need two people here," he said, pulling out a diagram of the safe-zone and pointing. "We need volunteers for a run too…"

As he explained it all to her, Beth felt a triumphant grin spread across her face. Because it didn't need to end badly. Even the loneliest of people need help sometimes, you just needed an open pair of eyes to see that.

It would take time, she knew that. He wouldn't trust Rick and the others right away, but if she could prove that he could trust her…well, that's a start to something better.

Ooo0ooO

**Disclaimer: I do not own TWD.**

**Author's Note: I don't see Rick and Spencer as all that different. They both lost members of their family, so naturally there's going to be trust issues. So it's easy for them to bare their teeth at each other, but it takes the right kind of person to see past all of that hurt and mistrust and see the real person underneath that. I'm not vouching for Spencer and Beth to be eventual friends necessarily, but I think Beth wants to prove to everyone that they can all coexist peacefully if they give each other a chance.**

**Plus, no one fucks with Beth.**

**Please review! **


	12. Reminiscer

**Review Responses:**

**brady66- No rifts! I'm not into the whole love triangle thing, or the whole jealousy thing. It's a stupid, overused trope. As for them being friends, well… keep reading!**

**dixie326- I agree with you completely! **

**Reignashii and Guest- thank you for your reviews!**

Chapter Twelve: Reminiscer 

A few weeks had passed since Beth's confrontation with Spencer, and the other members of Rick's group watched with a mixture of surprise and apprehension as the younger Greene sister bridged the gap between them and Spencer slowly but surely.

Daryl watched her quietly, like he always did, and felt slightly smug as he did so. The things he felt for Beth only increased when he saw her reaching out to the older Monroe boy, with the love and endless patience she possessed. It wasn't unlike the way she had touched him, like how she still touched him, although their relationship reached depths that her and Spencer's would never touch.

Daryl didn't like to think of himself as a jealous or possessive man. He didn't have anything in his life to be jealous or possessive over until Beth, and even now his trust in her held strong. Besides, he had a feeling if he told her about any jealous feelings he harbored towards her friendship with Spencer, she'd kick his ass from noon to Sunday.

He could hear her now, clear as a bell in his mind- _"You're a brainless moron, Daryl Dixon!"_

Snorting, he shook his head.

Beth was a pure, kind-hearted soul with the strength that most people did not possess, especially in times like these. She knew how to use her past experiences to learn and to grow, and she used them now to build the foundation of a friendship with the man who had once glared at the sight of him and the other members of Rick's group, but now gave them a slight smile and wave when he passed them by.

So he smiled a little when he saw her walking side by side with Spencer along the safe-zone's perimeter, watching as she made the other man laugh. He had never doubted Beth when she had started looking at Spencer in a new light, his doubts had lied with the other man, but even then, Beth had stepped up and crushed his worry.

Beth Greene was special. She saw the good in people, even when he didn't, or when someone else didn't.

With that thought, his hand slipped into his pocket, touching something there. His smirk widened for the briefest of moments as he wondered what Beth's expression would look like when he gave her the small gift that rested safely in his pocket.

Thanks to some help from Maggie and Michonne, everything was ready for tonight for the surprise he had put together for her.

Ooo0ooO

Beth laughed out loud at something Spencer had told her.

"I'm serious," Spencer continued, smothering his own grin. "Mountains of soap bubbles everywhere, not to mention everything had turned pink."

Beth shook her head at him. "Those darn, sneaky red socks."

"I'll say."

Beth kept chuckling as her and Spencer checked one of the posts along the south wall, which had started creaking oddly after a small herd of walkers had tried pushing the wall down after hearing the Alexandrian children laughing.

Her fingers pressed against the wood, then checked the steel rod. Her brows furrowed in concentration. "Might need some cement or rocks to keep this steady," she commented.

"We got some cement in storage."

When Beth lifted a brow at him, Spencer grinned. "We might have snagged a load off of a cement truck a while back."

"I ain't judging you, I'm impressed," she told him, kicking the pole so it stood straight again. "That's a useful resource."

"Yeah well, my daddy taught me to use every part of the animal, so to speak."

Beth smiled softly as they kept walking. "My daddy taught me a lot of things too. He taught me about taking risks, since life was all about taking risks."

"Do you think being here is taking a risk?"

Beth looked at Spencer briefly, before shrugging her shoulders. "My sister says he told her that living now, in this kind of world, you don't have a choice. Everything you do is you taking a risk. The only thing you can choose is what you're risking it for."

"What do you choose to risk your life for?"

"Not what," Beth corrected. "Who."

Spencer nodded slowly. "You were right, you know. About me doing anything for my mom. My dad… he died right before you guys showed up. He just got sick." A harsh laugh broke from Spencer's lips. "There's a world full of walkers and the damn common cold took him."

Beth reached out, lying her hand on Spencer's arm wordlessly.

"And Aiden…" Spencer's jaw tightened briefly. "He pulled away from us after losing some close friends. Got it in his head that he needed to get revenge…but in the end, a group of walkers got him. I was patrolling… I didn't even know he left the safe-zone until I heard him screaming…"

"I'm sorry," Beth murmured.

"What happened to your dad?" Spencer asked, then looked away. "You don't have to tell me."

Beth squeezed his arm gently. Taking a deep breath, she told him about what happened to her family at the farm, about the Governor and how he killed her father. She continued by telling him what had happened at the hospital, finishing by telling him that the group and her managed to get away, which lead them to finding Alexandria.

Spencer listened to her quietly, like she had when he had talked, and offered her the same quiet condolences when she finished her story.

"And that woman, Dawn, is she…?"

Beth nodded. "Kendra- Ken- shot her. Apparently Noah and I weren't the first people to be stuck in that hospital with her."

Spencer nodded absently as they kept walking at a slow pace. Then he chuckled with a shake of his head, making Beth glance at him curiously.

"I was just thinkin', with everything we've been through, how we're still standing."

"'Cause we got people worth livin' for," Beth replied simply.

"Yeah," Spencer said with another nod. "Suppose you're right."

Ooo0ooO

When Beth left Spencer to go check on the children at the town hall, he watched her go quietly before walking towards his mother's.

Deanna smiled when he walked inside their family home. "How was the patrol?"

"Fine. Post needs cementing."

"I'll have someone take care of that immediately." Then Deanna paused, noting the far off look in her son's eyes. "Spencer? You all right?"

"I was talking to Beth… I told her about dad and about Aiden."

Deanna waited patiently for him to continue.

Spencer cleared his throat, his brow furrowing. "She said that her father told her somethin'… We don't got a choice when it comes to surviving in this world. But he told her that you can choose what you risk yourself for." Then he looked up and walked over to his mother. "And it got me thinkin' about what- or who- I'd risk my life for. I realized…"

Then he shook his head, smiling and releasing an odd, breathless laugh. Deanna was surprised when he pulled her close and embraced her tightly. "I love you, mama."

"Oh," she breathed, embracing him back. "I love you too, Spencer."

Deanna felt her eyes mist over and sent a silent thank you to the heavens for sending her son the friend he needed that stopped him from following in his brother's footsteps…

Ooo0ooO

Beth was singing out loud as she walked down the road back towards the home she shared with the others. After her long talk with Spencer, she felt oddly lighter.

Her thoughts then turned to Daryl and she nearly laughed at the way her heart leapt in her chest at the mere thought of him.

"_Humid night, I wake at 3, all wired  
What's a girl to do if she's not tired?  
Feeling ache, hunger low in my tummy  
Mouth full of freckles sure sounds a-yummy  
Getting hot and I'm feeling a little bit  
What I would give for your salty inviting scent  
I admit I am scared to be on my own  
Though parents bragged I'm a kid who plays good alone  
Crunch up my blankie, I put it between my knees  
I curl my toes and I give it a good hard squeeze  
I just pretend, just pretend, just pretend you're there  
I just pretend, just pretend, just pretend you care  
Turn to my tummy, I'm movin' my hips around  
I wanna scream but seems silly to make such sound  
I just pretend, just pretend, I can taste your sweat  
I just pretend, just pretend, you can hear my breath…_"

She didn't really notice when she started dancing down the street, but she didn't stop even when she laughed.

"_I hope you don't think it's dirty  
To be so selfishly flirty  
My body and brain have been reelin'  
From this unanswered sex—_oof!"

Beth froze when she ran smack into a solid chest but grinned when she saw it was Daryl. She blew the hair from her eyes, trying not to blush.

Daryl's eyes were full of humor as his lips twitched. "What were you singin'?"

"I, uh, I was… nothing!" she stammered, her cheeks turning pink.

Daryl chuckled softly and pressed his lips to her flushed forehead. "C'mon."

Beth tried to steady her fluttering heart as she followed him around the back of the house and then gasped.

The backyard was lit up with small, white Christmas lights and lit candles and on the grass was an old flannel blanket with a small bottle of wine and two glasses.

"What's this?" Beth asked, her eyes huge.

Daryl leaned close, pressing his lips to her ear. "Happy birthday."

Beth blinked. "But it's tomorrow," she protested weakly.

How could she have forgotten about her own birthday! She blushed, feeling foolish again.

Daryl gave her a nudge and she walked and sat down on the blanket, drawing up her legs. Daryl sat down next to her, gesturing to the wine. "Want some?"

Beth smiled wryly. "Wine, huh? That's a step up from moonshine."

Daryl snorted softly, pouring her a glass. "Carol said it was good."

Beth's eyes flew towards the windows of the house and swore she saw someone duck from the upstairs bedroom window. Her eyes narrowed for a brief moment but then she laughed. "You did this all for me?"

"Mm-hmm."

When he handed her a glass of wine, she leaned over and kissed him softly on the lips. "You're full of surprises, Daryl Dixon."

Daryl hummed against her mouth before pressing his lips more firmly to hers, putting the glass aside briefly to cup her face in his hand. His free hand brushed over his pocket, and he leaned back to look into her bright blue eyes.

He stared for a bit, watching how the candlelight gave her skin a soft kind of glow. His gut clenched slightly.

"I got somethin' for you," he murmured, pulling the small box from his pocket.

Beth looked down then her eyes flew back up, wide with alarm. "D-Daryl…?"

He just smiled, noting he now owed Ken and Carol five bucks each based off of Beth's initial reaction. "It's not that," he assured her.

_Not quite. Not yet_, drifted through his mind so suddenly he had to pause for a moment before continuing.

"Open it."

Beth's hand trembled only slightly when she opened the box. "Oh!"

Inside sat a small silver ring, woven so on top sat a simple heart framed by two tiny infinity symbols on a plain band.

"It's beautiful," she whispered, gently removing it from the box. The band was a little big, so she slipped the ring on her left pointer finger.

"It's a promise ring."

Beth looked up into Daryl's eyes, noting the intensity of his gaze. "A promise…" she trailed off, the breath getting caught in her throat.

"I dunno where we'll be in ten years, a year, or hell, even tomorrow. But I wanna promise you, Beth that I'll be stayin' by your side if that's what you want. And if we survive this damn apocalypse-,"

Daryl was cut off when Beth threw her arms around his shoulders, knocking him back against the blanket and the grass. She kissed him firmly before peppering his jaw and cheeks with more kisses.

"Of course that's what I want, you moron," she said on a breathless laugh, ignoring the happy tears spilling down her cheeks. "I only want you."

In a slight growl, Daryl flipped her onto her back. He pressed his lips to her throat and enjoyed it when she trembled against him.

"I guess you're stuck with me, Dixon," Beth murmured, smiling as her eyes drifted close and his lips kept tracing the length of her throat.

"And you're stuck with me, Greene."

Ooo0ooO

**Disclaimer: I do not own TWD.**

**Author's Note: Bethyl fluff! Aaah!**

**This chapter included Emily Kinney's song "Just Pretend".**

**Please review!**


	13. Listener

Chapter Thirteen: Listener

Beth woke up the next morning pressed against Daryl's back as he rested quietly lying on his stomach. She could feel his soft breathing and the steady beat of his heart when she pressed her cheek right below his shoulder blade.

Her eyes drifting half-shut as she breathed with him, wondering if it was possible to get heartbeats to synchronize. Her fingertips trailed absently down the length of his back, tracing over the raised scars there that were a few shades darker than the rest of his skin.

She felt Daryl exhale and shift slightly and turned her head to meet his gaze, which watched her from underneath his messy hair. Her lips curved as she brushed the soft brown tendrils away from those darkening orbs.

"Mornin'," she whispered softly, placing her chin on his shoulder.

"Mornin'," Daryl grumbled in return, his voice muffled by the pillow.

Daryl stilled when she began tracing her lips along the length of his shoulder to his neck, before nipping at the dip in his throat where his pulse began to pick up. She shifted over his body, straddling his waist and resting her hands against his sides.

Her lips and teeth drove me wild, but the only outward sign he gave of his arousal were his clenched fists, which gripped the sheets beside his head tightly until his knuckles were white. He watched her from the corner of his eye, memorizing the tumble of her pale hair, the pretty pink blush along her bare skin, and her soft whispers and sighs against his skin.

She murmured sweet nothings in his ear, touching and molding him with her hands, fascinated with how his skin looked bronze compared to her fairer complexion. His body was covered his scars, smaller ones than the ones on his back, and she wondered what the stories were behind them.

Eventually, she lifted herself up onto her knees so he could turn onto his back underneath her. His larger hands settled on her waist, his thumbs rubbing against the curve of her hips.

But before she could move again, he turned again, so that she was beneath him. She watched him with those clear blue eyes, smiling a little when his gaze met hers.

With a tenderness he didn't know he possessed, his hand lifted to brush her hair away from her face before his thumb traced the dip of her jaw and the swell of her cheek. He was pleased when she parted her lips when he touched them, and his hips nearly bucked when she nipped playfully at his fingertips.

He kissed her throat firmly, drinking in her warm scent, then bit down on the curve of her shoulder, gently at first then more sharply. He felt his body react when she gasped and moaned softly against the shell of his ear.

Daryl could almost hear her pounding heart when his lips brushed over her collarbone, then slid down to trace the swell of her breast. Beth's hands latched themselves into his hair when he claimed her nipple, biting and licking at the tip, moving his leg between hers when her hips began grinding against his.

He listened to her breathless pleas and moans, following her directions as she instructed him where to go next. A love bite was left beneath her breast, along her hipbone, on the inside of her thigh. And when he glanced up briefly, he swore he saw her smiling smugly down at him and the small bruises he left in his wake.

Then he loved her gently with his mouth, holding down her hips when she began to move wildly against him. His lips curved against her core when she called out his name mindlessly like a chant. And before she could find her release, he moved back up her body to take her lips again.

"You taste good," he murmured against her mouth.

Her eyes stared back at him, blackened with only a hint of blue from her dilated pupils, and she kissed him fiercely as her nails bit in his back and shoulders. She grinded her hips against him again in a wordless demand.

And when he entered her, he watched as her head fell back against the pillow on a gasp. She bit her lip as her eyes closed and he marveled at how her body responded instantly to his, even with the simplest of touches.

They moved together slowly, since there was no hurry. The morning had barely begun and the sun had just broke over the horizon, turning the sky a pale gray lavender color.

As they moved, they heard the birds wake up and begin their morning song, and they could hear the distant squall of children waking up as well. But that all still seemed so far away as they lost themselves in each other, gazes and bodies locked together.

And when it all became too much, Daryl lowered his head and took a pink nipple into his mouth and began his final siege to find their release. Beth cried out wordlessly when he moved faster, shifting his hips so he hit a new spot inside her, before her body buckled against his and pleasure rushed through her body in a hot, fast flood.

Her breath caught up to her as Daryl rested his cheek against her shoulder, and her fingers untangled his hair, after having messed it up even more so. She touched the scratches on his shoulders that her nails had left behind and smirked at the thought of them leaving their marks on each other's body. It was a strangely satisfying feeling.

_Mine_, she thought on a possessive sigh.

Ooo0ooO

Later that day, Beth made her way to the main hall to take her shift with the kids. She waved at Rick and Carl when she saw them standing outside. Rick was holding Judith, who began bouncing and babbling excitedly when she spotted Beth.

"Happy birthday," Rick said before passing her his daughter.

Beth smiled when Judith snuggled trustingly in her arms, tugging at her ponytail. "Thank you," she replied.

"What's that?" Rick inquired, his eyes squinting at the ring sitting on her finger.

"Ah, that's…well…"

"Rick, just the man I wanted to see!"

Relieved to hear Deanna's voice, Beth turned to look at the leader of Alexandria as she approached them.

"I've been meaning to speak to you about a certain matter," Deanna said, before she paused to wish Beth a happy birthday as well.

Beth politely thanked her before inching away with Judith, throwing Carl a pleading look, who quickly nodded and provided enough distraction for her to slip away. She sighed with relief before kissing Judith's cheek, making the toddler squeal.

"Miss Beth!" the kids cried out before they clamored over to her.

Beth tended to the younger children first, putting them in small groups for arts and crafts that involved broken crayons and nearly empty glue bottles. Then she read to the older ones, enjoying how they laughed at her silly voices and expressions.

After a few hours, she was pleased and surprised to see Daryl standing at the doorway with a little brown bag in his hand. She stood and walked over to him while the kids were distracted with an old board game.

"Figured you might be hungry," he said, handing her the bag. "Carol put it together."

Beth peered inside. There was a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, a slightly bruised banana, and one of Carol's infamous chocolate chip cookies. She grinned, feeling like a kid herself with a packed lunch.

"Thank you," she said to him.

His lips curved. "How are they?" he asked, nodding at the kids.

"They're great," Beth commented with a soft smile. "I just wish they had more here to keep themselves entertained. There's not enough art supplies or books…but I guess with everything that's happening…" She trailed off with a heavy sigh and a shrug of her shoulders.

Daryl considered that for a moment, but didn't say anything. He simply placed a hand on her waist and drew her close, pressing his lips to her hair. "Don't worry, darlin'," he murmured. "They're lucky, they got you."

Beth looked up at Daryl and leaned up on her toes to kiss his cheek. Then she wrapped her arms around his neck and closed her eyes when she felt his chin drop down onto her shoulder. "Thank you," she said softly.

Daryl left her with a parting kiss, and she walked him walk down the street back towards Ken, who was waiting for him outside the little shack they had put together that served as their shop. Beth knew they were tinkering with the community's Jeep, which was acting up again (Daryl and Ken suspected the brake pads were wearing thin).

When she turned, Beth spotted Spencer heading her way and waved at him. Spencer smiled and waved back.

"How are you doing today?" he asked her when he stopped beside her.

"Just fine. You?"

Spencer shrugged, tugging at his shirt collar. "It's a hot one."

Beth grinned. Sweat was trickling down everyone's brows today thanks to the sudden hike in humidity. "No kidding."

"By the way, happy birthday," Spencer said with a wry smile. He reached into his pocket and withdrew something. "This is from me and my mom, as a thanks for all your hard work."

Beth took the little silk bag, tugging at the cord and giving it a shake. A small, delicate charm bracelet slid out and onto the palm of her hand. She blinked, moving the charms, before smiling.

The charms were slightly tarnished, but still gleamed in the sunlight. One was a little guitar and another a music note, another was a book, and the final two were a crescent moon and a sun.

"Do…do you like it?" Spencer asked, sounding unsure of himself.

"Of course I do!" Beth exclaimed. "Will you put it on for me?"

Spencer clipped it on her right wrist and chuckled when Beth gave it a shake so the little charms clinked together. Then his eyes latched onto the ring sitting on her left finger.

Beth's gaze lowered to it and she rubbed her thumb over the band. "Um…"

"Band's too big."

She blinked. "What?"

Spencer glanced up at her. "The band's too big. I could fix it for you."

"Oh no… I like it like this."

"Well, it's one pretty promise ring. From Daryl, I presume."

Beth nodded.

"He's a good man."

Beth found herself blinking again before responding. "Yeah. He is."

When a rather odd and sad smile crossed Spencer's face, Beth wondered if he had loved someone before all of this. But she hesitated, and instead flashed him another bright smile. "Tell your mom thanks for the bracelet."

"Of course," Spencer replied.

And when he started walking away, hands in his pockets, Beth reached out to stop him. "Spencer?"

"Yeah?"

"Are you all right?"

Spencer didn't meet her gaze when he smiled sadly again. "You know, you're the only friend I've had in a while. After I lost my dad and brother… well, people didn't know what to say, so they said nothing."

Beth listened quietly.

Spencer looked up to the bright blue sky. "A year before everything happened, I had a fiancée. She was…" He trailed off with a brief chuckle. "She was everything to me, but I lost her. Car accident. Sometimes I wonder…" Then he looked over at her. "Sometimes when I look at you, I think of her. She always helped others, you know? She was selfless. And when I see you and Daryl, I wonder if she hadn't…passed…if we would have been as happy as you two."

Beth rested her hand against Spencer's shoulder. Her heart ached for him. "I'm sure you would have been, but I think she would want you to move on and be happy…don't you?"

Spencer nodded, his eyes downcast again.

Beth's shoulders slumped a little. Everyone had lost so much thanks to the apocalypse, but they had also lost so much before it. She almost could feel his pain, although it was a pain that wasn't hers to understand.

"Do you know something else my daddy used to tell me?"

When Spencer shook his head, she smiled gently. "He said that a wise man once said, 'If you're going through hell, keep going'. And I think that's all we can ever do, keep going."

"Your daddy thought Churchill was a wise man?" Spencer wanted to know with a hint of a smile.

Beth chuckled. "Maybe my daddy thought he was wise for saying that."

"I think your father was right." Spencer looked at her once more. "Thank you, Beth."

And when he walked away, Beth wondered if she was imagining him walking with a little more of a bounce in his step.

Ooo0ooO

When the sun wasn't overly intense, Ken and Daryl finished working on the Jeep so they could make a quick run with a few others to a nearby town.

Ken kicked the Jeep's tires, muttering threats under her breath about it running or else she'd feed it to the walkers. But Tara came over and Daryl saw Ken's mood instantly brighten before she kissed her girlfriend.

Daryl swung into the driver's seat while Sasha jumped into the passenger side. She nodded briefly at him before he started the car and headed towards the gates.

The run went quickly and smoothly, since the small group had the routine down when it came to perimeter checks and lookout before they entered the stores to stock up on the supplies they needed.

When Daryl rifled through one side of an old, run down CVS, he came across some children's coloring books in the back. Remembering Beth's worries over the kids, he jammed some into his pack, along with other random school supplies.

And when he heard Ken's whistle that signaled the all clear, he made it back to the Jeep with Sasha. She handed him something, which he realized was an old, torn children's book.

"Found it tucked away," Sasha explained. "Heard Beth needs new stories to read to the kids."

Then the other woman glanced at him with a slightly wicked gleam in her eye, before she opened her backpack and flashed him a peek of the bottle of Johnny Walker Blue she had snagged from the ransacked liquor store a few doors down.

"You sharin'?" Daryl asked, lifting a brow.

"As if. This is like finding buried treasure."

Daryl laughed through his nose before he threw the Jeep into drive and followed the other vehicles back to the safe-zone.

Beth was still with the kids when he carried the bag of supplies over to the main hall. When he cleared his throat at the doorway, Beth smiled at him before hushing at a few kids who were yelling about whether or not giants were real.

Beth glanced curiously at the pack in his hands and her eyes narrowed slightly when he handed it over to her wordlessly. That suspicious look disappeared when she gasped.

She pulled out the coloring books, the fresh box of markers, and new bottles of Elmer's glue that he had managed to find. She placed it down and threw her arms around him, kissing his cheeks and lips over and over.

"You remembered," she whispered, her cheeks pink with pleasure.

"Mhm. That enough?"

"Of course it is! They're going to be so happy."

Then he reached inside his own bag and pulled out the book. "From Sasha."

Beth gasped again. "Oh! _The Chronicles of Narnia_." She kissed him again, this time more firmly. "Thank you. Tell Sasha thanks too."

Daryl nodded and watched as she carried over the supplies to the kids, who shouted and peered in the bag before cheering wildly with excitement. He shifted on his feet awkwardly when Beth said something and pointed at him, which spurred the kids to dash over to him and thank him profusely. One girl even hugged his knees, which made him shift even more before he patted the top of her head before Beth called them off, all while laughing.

Then he leaned against the doorframe and watched her work, settling the kids down so they could organize the supplies before they gathered around her for a final story.

Daryl didn't want to miss her reading of _The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe_.

Ooo0ooO

**Disclaimer: I do not own TWD.**

**Author's Note: Sorry for the delay in updates, I just moved yet again! Hope you enjoyed this chapter.**

**Please review!**


	14. Runner

Chapter Fourteen: Runner

The following week, when Daryl was out on a run and the kids were being watched by one of the other Alexandria residents, Beth found herself patrolling the south gate with Noah.

They hadn't spent too much time together when they got into the safe-zone, what with Beth being busy with the kids and Daryl and Noah working guard duty. They talked for a long time; Noah asked about Daryl and the new ring on her finger, and she asked him about the leg he had injured back at the hospital. He wasn't limping too badly anymore, and he claimed it only bothered him when he first woke up and it was stiff.

Then the conversation turned to Spencer, with Noah wanting to know more about the Alexandrian leader's son, especially after all the confusion when they first arrived. Beth explained what had happened, with her spying on Spencer, to the confrontation between them, to them finally reaching an understanding and slowly becoming friends.

Noah's brow was furrowed when Beth finished talking. "How do you know he's changed?"

"I don't think he was ever gonna hurt us, Noah," Beth said, shaking her head. "He was just suspicious is all. I mean, you know how Rick is. It's no different."

"Yeah, but… I mean, doesn't the whole situation just smell fishy? How do you know he isn't plotting something behind your back, now that you're onto him?"

"Why does everyone think everyone is working against each other?" Beth challenged, looking down in frustration.

"Because you can't trust them so easily," Noah replied, looking grim. "You saw what happened with Dawn and you told me about that Governor guy, not to mention Terminus… There's a lot of bad out there, Beth, and it ain't the walkers."

Beth exhaled sharply. "Well, I still believe that there is some good too."

Noah smiled a little. "I know. That's why you're not so messed up like the rest of us."

"I'm plenty messed up," Beth stated. "I guess I have enough optimism to keep going." She nearly smiled at that, remembering how she said something similar to Spencer.

Noah sighed, shaking his head. "I don't know how you do it, Beth."

She smiled wryly. "Sometimes, neither do I."

Ooo0ooO

When Daryl got back from the run, he went to find Beth. They ate an early lunch together before he said he was going to go out with a few people to hunt in the nearby woods.

Beth offered to go with him, but he insisted she stayed behind so she could take her afternoon shift with the kids. So she walked with him to the gate, kissed him goodbye and then waved him off.

Amongst the others were Michonne, Ken, and Sasha. He greeted the three women, who had been talking to each other quietly.

Ken grinned at him. "Ready to kill Bambi's mom?"

Sasha gave Ken an odd look. "Clearly Disney didn't manage to scar you for life."

"Nah," Ken replied.

Michonne just gave Daryl a small smile, and he shook his head.

When the gates were opened, they were led out by Spencer and another member of Alexandria. They proceeded with caution, with their eyes and ears alert for any suspicious noises or movements.

Daryl stayed a step behind Michonne, who walked through the dense underbrush like a tense jungle cat, her body alert and footsteps quiet. Her katana was tucked between her shoulder blades.

Daryl had his crossbow in one hand with the arrows strapped to his back, along with a gun and a hunting knife strapped to his belt. While he listened to the telltale snarls and moans of walkers, his eyes skimmed the ground for any animal tracks.

Some time passed before he found some deer tracks, which followed deeper into the woods towards the sound of running water.

The group maintained their loose formation as they followed Daryl now, who had quietly taken point with Spencer to his right. The other man didn't protest to him taking charge, and only nodded in acknowledgement.

Suddenly, a pair of deer burst out from the trees and froze when they saw the hunters. Their coats were damp from sweat and their sides heaved.

Daryl stiffened.

Along the shoulders of the young doe was an unmistakable bite mark, human, which dribbled blood down her leg.

He turned and heard them, snarling and snapping their jaws, heading their way. The wind changed and brought the smell of rot and the group immediately drew closer together. The deer bounded off.

When they came into view, there was four of them. One had blood smeared across its face, fresh from the doe.

Michonne stepped up next to Daryl. Her sword had been drawn and it gleamed in the low sunlight. He saw her nod out of the corner of his eye.

Lifting his crossbow, he drew an arrow and let it fly, where it struck the walker with deer blood right in the eye socket. It gave a final snarl before slumping t the ground.

Michonne strode forward, turning her katana before she pivoted her body to put her weight into a downward slice, which split another walker's head in half like a watermelon.

Daryl shot down another while Michonne eliminated the fourth. When the walkers lied there truly dead, they looked at each other. This time, it was Daryl who nodded.

"Nice teamwork," Spencer said.

Daryl glanced at the other man. He nodded again.

"Should we keep going?"

"No," Daryl said. "The smell of that doe will attract more of 'em. Better head back."

Spencer looked like he was going to say something, then thought better of it. "All right, you heard the man. Let's go."

Suddenly, Ken paused, brow furrowed. "Wait, where's the other guy?"

Ooo0ooO

Beth finished her shift with the kids early when Carol showed up and offered to watch them, knowing that Daryl and the others would return soon. Beth flashed Carol a grateful smile and jogged down the street.

She stood by the main gate and not too long after that, was joined by Rick, who had been patrolling.

"Hey, Beth," he said in a low voice, his eyes squinting against the setting sun.

"Hey, Rick. How's Carl and Judy?"

"Fine, fine. Carl's been makin' friends with some of the boys his age."

"That's good."

Rick nodded. "How're the other kids?"

Beth smiled slightly. "They're great. So smart."

The constable nodded again. "And no problem with…anything?"

Now she frowned. "No," she said in a firm, flat tone.

"Good…good."

Beth was about to ask him what exactly he meant, but a scream ripped across the air, and both Rick and Beth jumped before turning to the noise.

"_Help me!_"

Rick lunged forward, looking through the gate to see who was screaming. A man burst out from the trees, covered in sweat, his shirt torn. Beth could see the deep red gleam of blood against his shoulder, where it looked like a branch had cut him open.

"Help me!" he yelled again, throwing himself against the gate.

"Where are the others?" Rick exclaimed.

"I-I ran, I don't know, let me in, they're _coming!_"

Beth's heart began to pound. What if the others got hurt?

_Daryl-!_

"Tell me what happened!" Rick bellowed. He grabbed the other man's shirtfront. "Tell me!"

"W-we were in the woods and we saw deer, b-but one was hurt, walker got it, and then t-they came! So I ran! And more started coming and I ran into a tree a-and I-I… Just open the gate, man!"

"You brought them _here?_"

The man's voice grew shrill. "I didn't mean to!"

Suddenly, the sound of hissing and snarls filled the air. Beth shivered when she heard the walker's groans grow louder as they neared. Her palms grew clammy when she thought about how the others were still out there and they didn't know about the other walkers.

"Rick, the others!" she cried.

There was a shout and Tyreese, Carol, Deanna, Glenn and Maggie rushed over, demanding to know what was happening. Beth told them in a quivering voice, her eyes darting to the tree line anxiously.

"Open the gate, my sister's out there!" Tyreese shouted, glaring at Rick.

"The walkers are comin'! Opening them now puts everyone at risk!"

"But what about the others?" Glenn asked, looking worried.

"They're smart, they can survive," Rick snapped through gritted teeth.

"What about him, Rick?" Deanna asked, her voice unusually calm. Her gaze turned to the disheveled man at the gate. "What about Alec?"

Rick turned back towards the man, Alec, who was still panting and bleeding slowly.

But before he could reply, the group of walkers came into view, tripping and snarling as they followed the smell of fresh blood.

"Let me in- _let me in!_" Alec shrieked, rattling the gate.

Beth didn't think, she acted.

Ripping the gun from her thigh holster, she shoved Rick aside and spared Alec a glare before she took aim and fired.

The first walker collapsed with the bullet lodged in its forehead, causing the next two walkers to trip and stumble. They fell too, however, after two more rounds were fired off.

Everyone seemed to snap out of it, and Maggie stepped up next to her sister, and together the Greene sisters shot down the walkers until they left a trail up the drive to the gates. The last walker collapsed only a few feet from Alec, who cowered against the gates.

Beth blew out a shaky breath with sweat trickling down her brow.

Wordlessly, Rick opened the gate with Deanna's help, and Alec scampered inside.

Beth held her breath. "Come on, come on…"

Relief came when she saw a familiar glint of a katana pop out from behind a tree, followed by Michonne, who was trailed by the others. When they saw the pile of walkers, they rushed forward.

Daryl, however, didn't stop until his arms were around Beth.

"I'm okay, I'm okay," she reassured him, clasping her hands around his neck tightly.

"What the hell happened?" Ken wanted to know, looking down at the walker by her feet. She pulled a face at its rotten head, which was half blown off.

"Come inside," Deanna told them, still very calm. She reached out to touch her son's cheek when he passed.

Beth gave Spencer a wobbly smile before resting her head against Daryl's shoulder.

When the gate slid closed and was locked again, Deanna instructed them to all wash up then to meet her at the main hall in an hour.

They did what they were told and when they sat at the long table in the main hall, Carol brought them some food, since they had missed dinner. She gave Beth a questioning look, but Beth shook her head and mouthed, _Later._

One by one, each of them told their story, starting with Alec. He apologized profusely, his cheeks and ears tinged red from shame and embarrassment.

Deanna and Rick exchanged a single, grim look.

Beth's hand tightened around Daryl's. They wouldn't banish Alec from Alexandria, would they?

"Alec," Deanna began. "You have been with us for two years now. This was your first hunt, right? You're usually in charge of grounds maintenance." When Alec nodded, she continued. "The safety of this community is a top priority. Your actions today compromised that safety, putting not only yourself at risk, but others as well. As punishment, you will receive an official warning from me, and you will return to your own duties. If I decide that you are fit to go outside the gates again and you mess up again, there will not be another warning. Have I made myself clear?"

Alec nodded, his eyes downcast. "Yes, Ms. Monroe. I understand."

Beth exhaled silently, relief filling her body.

When she and Daryl returned to the house, she went out onto the back porch to sit down on one of the lounge chairs. Sighing, she reclined back and stared up at the darkening sky.

Daryl sat down beside her quietly. He clasped his hands together and waited for her to talk, knowing she had a lot on her mind.

"I think Deanna was going to banish him," Beth confessed in a soft voice.

"Me too."

She looked down at her hands, twisting the promise ring on her finger. "And I thought you were… when Alec didn't say if you were okay…" She swallowed thickly.

"Darlin'," Daryl sighed, moving over so he could draw her into his arms. "Ain't nothin' takin' me from you."

Beth turned so she could bury her face in the crook of his neck. "I was just so worried," she whispered.

"I'm here now," he reassured her, rubbing her back. "I'm here."

And for a long time, he kept holding her, until the remaining fear drained out of her body and they decided to turn in for the night.

But when Daryl fell asleep, Beth stayed awake, watching him under the shadow of the moon. She reached out, tracing his cheek gently.

"Nothing's taking me from you either, Dixon."

Ooo0ooO

**Disclaimer: I do not own TWD.**

**Author's Note: Some people are not cut out to deal with walkers…**

**Please review!**


	15. Reaper

Chapter Fifteen: Reaper

A long, shrill scream ripped Beth from her pleasant dream and back into reality. The room was still fairly dark from the barely risen sun.

Daryl jerked awake too, immediately grabbing the large hunting knife he kept on the nightstand beside the bed. He looked around, his eyes narrow and alert. "Wassit?" he growled sleepily.

Beth darted out of bed and went to the window, throwing back the drapes. Outside people were running out of their homes and were looking up the street, clearly confused and frightened from the sudden noise.

"Come on!" Beth exclaimed, turning to grab her boots, yanking them on as she hopped to the bedroom door.

When they got outside, Beth spotted Rick down the street, striding to a house a few places down from their own, looking grim. Deanna was waiting for him on the porch, looking pale and withdrawn.

"Beth!"

Beth turned at the sound of her sister's shout and she rushed over to where Maggie was. The sisters clasped hands to give each other some comfort.

"What happened?" Beth asked, eyes wide.

"It was that guy Alec," Maggie whispered. "Someone was out early and saw his front door was open and found him hanging from his stairs."

Beth gasped, putting her free mouth over her mouth in horror. Her stomach churned. "Oh no," she murmured.

"That's not all," Maggie continued with a conflicted expression. "Someone said he left a note. Went on about how he was sorry but he had to do it."

Beth's eyes widened further with confusion. "But, Maggie, why would he think that?"

"I don't know," the older Greene sister said in a low voice, shaking her head. "I knew he felt guilty but this…"

Suddenly, an even more horrifying though gripped Beth. She gripped her sister's hand tighter and leaned in close. "Mags, you don't think…someone else did this, do you?"

Maggie gaped. "What?" she breathed. "Why would someone do this?"

"You heard Deanna yesterday," Beth said in a hushed voice. "He put the community at risk. What if someone didn't want to take the risk of letting him mess up again?"

Maggie blinked then looked as equally as grim as Rick. "No matter where we go…"

Beth understood her sister's bitter statement. It did seem that no matter where they went, trouble always followed them, whether it was walkers or people turning on people.

Ooo0ooO

A week after the apparent suicide, the entire safe-zone was still on edge. Any runs that were made were only to places within a ten mile radius that were familiar despite other supplies that were running low that would require longer treks.

Beth was just as anxious as everyone else, but even more so with her suspicions of foul play. She shared her thoughts with Daryl, whose lips thinned and eyes narrowed. Afterwards, he stayed even closer to Beth, not even leaving her when runs were made.

And when Deanna asked Beth to meet with her at Deanna's house, Beth began wondering if her suspicions were true, and if the leader of Alexandria had her own doubts.

But instead, Deanna's demeanor was calm, even slightly more happy than usual. It was as though she received good news that was bursting to tell someone.

So Beth sat in her parlor, hands clasped over her knees, eyes darting around the room, feeling agitated.

"I was thinking that the people of Alexandria need a little pick-me-up," Deanna told her. "After all this sadness, we need more laughs."

"Someone died, Ms. Monroe," Beth said bluntly, brows furrowing.

"I know. Alec's death was a tragedy, but no one should mourn forever."

"It's been a _week_-,"

"Anyhow, dear, I was hoping you would help me plan a little something."

Too stunned to speak, Beth stared at the older woman. She swore she saw a hint of desperation in Deanna's eyes, as though she needed the pick-me-up even more than everyone else, but Beth frowned. "I'm not sure what I could do."

"Well, you have such a pretty singin' voice, I thought you could brighten up the event with some songs, of course," Deanna said with an overly bright smile.

Beth's eyes narrowed ever so slightly.

Did Deanna know something? Could she be hiding something about Alec's sudden death?

"Sure, Ms. Monroe," Beth said slowly. "I'll be happy to help."

"Oh, I'm so glad to hear you say that!"

Beth kept quiet, only nodding, and kept her eyes on the older woman suspiciously. Something deep down told her the leader either knew something or heard something, and whatever that was could be a clue as to why Alec decided to take his life… or why someone else did.

Ooo0ooO

The event, which Deanna dubbed a celebration of life, left everyone wary and feeling out of sorts. Noah and Carl agreed with Beth when she told them about Deanna's behavior, it was definitely off.

"Was she the one who found the body?" Noah wanted to know.

"Maybe she saw who did it!" Carl exclaimed, eyes wide.

"Whatever it is, something isn't right," Beth said darkly before going to find Daryl.

Daryl stood alone outside of Deanna's house, which was where the event was being hosted, eyeing the place warily.

"It won't bite," Beth told him, trying to smile.

"Mm," was all she got out of him before he pulled her closer to his side. "You sure you wanna do this?" he asked her.

Beth nodded. "This ain't right. How you can celebrate life when there's people dying every day?"

"Some people can afford that kind of ignorance," Daryl muttered, casting another dark look towards the people mulling about inside the house.

Beth sighed wearily before taking his hand and walking inside the house, where Deanna immediately descended upon her right as they entered the parlor.

"Beth! There you are! Come on, we've been waiting for you!"

Beth stepped to the side to avoid Deanna's reaching hand, which aimed for her arm, and strode into the room, where people sat and stood, talking quietly amongst themselves.

Deanna then dove headlong into a winded speech about Alec and how his death affected all of them in Alexandria, but how they must not hold onto the sad memory of his demise, but rather hold onto the happy memory of his life. People exchanged glances, and a few looked bewildered at the odd speech.

"So Beth here has agreed to sing a song to lift our spirits," Deanna continued, scooching to the side to make room for Beth.

Beth looked around and met Noah and Carl's gaze, and both of them gave her a slight nod. Daryl watched her silently from across the room, where he stood leaning against the wall next to Michonne and Ken, who was whispering something in Tara's ear.

Beth cleared her throat. "Alec's death was and is a tragedy," she started in a clear, firm voice. "We've all lost someone during these trying times. But this, a celebration of life…" She shook her head. "I cannot see why anyone would want to celebrate at a time like this. Yes, we need to find happiness in these dark times, but we cannot force ourselves to be happy any more than we can stop people from dyin'." Beth's voice thickened as she continued. "So let's spend today rememberin' Alec and rememberin' those we lost, not to feel happy, but to remind ourselves that we gotta survive in order to keep their memories alive."

Right away, there were murmurs of "here, here!" even while Deanna gawked at Beth like she sprouted another head.

The Beth started humming softly and strumming the guitar that had been left out for her. Her eyes snapped to her left when someone began playing the piano that was nestled in the corner of the room, and she saw, to her surprise, Sasha sitting on the bench, with Ken and Tara standing with her.

"_Are you, are you, coming to the tree?_

_They strung up a man_

_They say who murdered three_

_Strange things did happened here, _

_No stranger would it be_

_If we met at midnight in the hanging tree._"

People then joined in, starting slowly and quietly at first, but then everyone's voices grew off one another, and soon the room was full of solemn song.

"_Are you, are you, coming to the tree?_

_Where the dead man called out_

_For his love to flee_

_Strange things did happen here,_

_No stranger would it be_

_If we met at midnight in the hanging tree,_

_Are you, are you coming to the tree?_

_Where I told you to flee_

_So we could both be free_

_Strange things did happen here,_

_No stranger would it be_

_If we met at midnight in the hanging tree…_"

And in one singular moment, everyone's voices seemed to blend together as the song came to its climax.

"_Are you, are you coming to the tree?_

_Wear a necklace of rope_

_Side by side with me_

_Strange things did happen here,_

_No stranger would it be_

_If we met at midnight in the hanging tree._

_Are you, are you coming to the tree?_

_Wear a necklace of hope_

_Side by side with me_

_Strange things did happen here,_

_No stranger would it be_

_If we met at midnight in the hanging tree_…"

Then the crowd moved onto "Oh Death", following Beth's lead.

"_Oh Death, Oh Death, Oh Death_

_Won't you spare me over 'til another year?_

_Oh Death, Oh Death_

_My name is Death and the end is here_…"

Slowly, the song's picked up and became a little more light-hearted, with everyone relaxing and singing together. And for the first time, Beth felt like she was a part of this community, with all of them brought together to face the challenges they lied before them.

So when it all came to a close, Beth was left singing by herself again, strumming her guitar, and she nearly smiled when another song came to her.

"_I saw the light fade from the sky  
On the wind I heard a sigh…_

_And though where the road then takes me,  
I cannot tell  
We came all this way  
But now comes the day  
To bid you farewell_

_Many places I have been  
Many sorrows I have seen  
But I don't regret  
Nor will I forget  
All who took that road with me_

_Night is now falling  
So ends this day  
The road is now calling  
And I must away…_

_To these memories I will hold  
With your blessing I will go  
To turn at last to paths that lead home_

_And though where the road then takes me,  
I cannot tell  
We came all this way  
But now comes the day  
To bid you farewell_

_I bid you all a very fond farewell_…"

When Beth finished her song, everyone applauded and she smiled, not before noticing something move out of the corner of her eye.

And when she looked, she swore she saw a figure dressed in all black dart away from the window. But before she could get a better look, people swarmed around her and thanked her for what she said and what she sang, causing her a great deal of embarrassment.

Daryl, however, managed to swoop in to take her away before she could get lost in the crowd of tearful townsfolk.

Ooo0ooO

Later that night, Beth sat outside, humming to herself again.

When the door opened, Daryl stepped out. He looked over at her. "You comin' in?"

She nodded. "In a minute."

"You okay?"

Beth nodded again, trying a smile. "Yeah…yeah. Just thinkin'."

Daryl eyed her for a moment longer before nodding and walking back inside.

Beth looked back up to the nearly full moon, her brow crinkled.

Who had been standing at the window? It was like a shadow, it was so dark and it moved so quickly…

Beth then laughed, shaking her head, telling herself she was being foolish. She was just stirred up by everything that had happened and her mind was playing tricks on her probably.

So she stood and walked inside after Daryl, dismissing that thought for the night.

And with her back turned, she didn't see the lone figure standing under a tree across the street, watching her silently, dressed in black from head to toe.

Ooo0ooO

**Disclaimer: I do not own TWD.**

**Author's Note: This chapter features the songs "The Hanging Tree", "Oh Death" by Jen Titus, and "The Last Goodbye" by Billy Boyd.**

**So what do you think is going on? Any guesses?**

**Please review! **


	16. Seeker

Chapter Sixteen: Seeker

Three days following the town gathering, Beth went out with Daryl, Ken, Tara, and Sasha on a hunt into the nearby woods. Their food reserves were starting to get low again, so Spencer sought Beth out to request that she get the hunting party together while Carol took over her duties with the children for the afternoon.

Beth did as she was told, gathering those who she trusted. She wished Michonne and/or Rick could join them, but they were both busy with their own duties towards the safe-zone. Their duties now included investigating a hole found along one of the south walls, which was wide enough for a man to squeeze through. Luckily, no walkers had managed to find their way into the camp. Rick suspected a person had done it, since the way the metal and barbed wire was handled indicted as much.

Daryl and Beth had both expressed their concerns over that, mainly since a breech in the wall put them all at risk. Beth also had a deep suspicion that the figure she saw in black was the man who broke through the wall.

When Rick and Michonne opened the main gates to let the hunting party out, Beth glanced over her shoulder once, her eyes scanning the safe-zone before she focused on the woods.

Daryl took point, shadowed by Beth, and trailed by Tara and Ken. Daryl had his crossbow, Beth her knife and gun, while the other two had guns with silencers. They walked between the trees quietly, falling into the motions of the hunt, which came naturally to all of them after such a long time.

While Daryl and Beth tracked down any nearby animals, Tara and Ken kept their eyes and ears peeled for any walkers. They were still cautious after the incident with the doe and Alec, not wanting to draw any herds in close to the safe-zone.

Beth's eyes flickered over to Daryl when he motioned for her to investigate a clearing about twenty yards to the right from where they were. Ken followed her while Tara and Daryl kept going straight, all while keeping in sight of one another.

Beth peered around a cluster of trees and came to a stop.

Ken bumped into her. "Sorry," she mumbled.

Beth shrugged a shoulder. "Look," she said, pointing.

In front of them was a small campsite, which included a small canvas tent and leftover embers from a fire.

"What the hell?" Ken whispered, narrowing her eyes.

Beth's brow furrowed before she whistled softly to catch Daryl and Tara's attention. When they joined them, Beth went forward cautiously to investigate. Moving slowly, she pulled back the flap to the tent and found it empty except for a pile of leaves and… paper?

Crouching, Beth picked up a half-hidden piece of paper that was smudged with dirt and grime. It was a list of the nearby towns, each marked 'CLEAR' or 'UNSAFE'.

"What is it?" Daryl asked.

Beth pulled back, showing it to him. "Do you think this is the person who got through the wall?"

Daryl frowned. "Dunno. Maybe."

Ken looked around warily. "I don't have a good feeling about this."

"Neither do I," Tara muttered, her dark eyes full of worry.

"We need to show this to Rick and Deanna," Beth told Daryl.

He nodded before turning to Tara and Ken. "Go," he instructed, passing the list to Tara. "We'll come back soon. Gotta bring back somethin' other than paper."

Tara nodded. "We'll wait for you by the gate."

"And be safe," Ken added.

Beth and Daryl nodded simultaneously.

When Tara and Ken walked off, Daryl and Beth went back to tracking, leaving the strange campsite behind them.

It didn't take them long to track down a few stray animals, and even less time to bring them down. Once smaller animals were tied into their knapsacks and a medium-sized buck was tossed over Daryl's shoulder, they began making their way back to camp.

Beth took the lead this time, her gun drawn. She knew that Daryl had his hands full, so it was her job to be his look out until they were safely inside the community once again.

And when they rounded a familiar cluster of trees, they were met with a drawn buckshot and a ragged looking man dressed in all black.

Ooo0ooO

Tara and Ken got back to the safe-zone quickly, where Michonne was waiting for them by the gate.

Quickly, Ken explained what had happened while Michonne let them back inside Alexandria. Tara caught Rick's attention, who made his way over.

"Look," Tara said, while Ken handed him the list.

Rick's expression went from wariness to shock when he scanned over the piece of paper. He looked up with slightly rounded eyes. "I know who wrote this. Come on!"

Tara and Ken exchanged a wide eyed glance before dashing after Rick, who had pushed open the gate again and ran out into the woods, while Michonne stayed at the gate.

When they reached the campsite, they all froze when they saw what was happening in front of them.

The man in black had a gun drawn and pointed directly at Daryl and Beth, who were eyeing the man with a mixture of wariness and anger.

"Morgan!" Rick shouted.

The other man stiffened before turning. "Rick."

"You _know_ him?" Ken exclaimed, asking the question they were all thinking.

Rick nodded, never taking his eyes off Morgan. "He helped me a long time ago." Then he spoke to Morgan. "I thought you were dead."

Morgan shook his head, turning to face the sheriff. "No. I've been following you for some time now. I almost caught up to you at Terminus, but I saw your sign. Nearly lost you a few months back and now…"

"You were the one who broke into Alexandria," Rick stated.

Morgan's hand tightened around his weapon, which he had lowered. "It's not safe there."

"Why?"

"Too many people. Too many secrets."

Beth stepped forward. "What do you mean 'too many secrets'?"

Morgan eyed her. "He died when he wasn't supposed to. All lies. All of it."

Beth's body shifted, her hand ghosting over her knife while she planted her feet firmly. "Who, Morgan?"

"The man who ran. They all run. We are always running."

This time, Beth looked to Rick. They were all on high alert, since Morgan kept muttering out loud, his eyes rolling from side to side. His hand twitched by his side.

"Not clear. Not safe," he continued. His dark gaze shifted back to Rick. "Not clear! Not SAFE!"

"Morgan," Rick said calmly, lifting his hands in a gesture of peace. "Come back with us. It is safe."

"No, no. More will die and they won't come back," Morgan said, shifting his weight back on one leg, then back again.

Daryl and Rick exchanged a glance before they began circling the other man, while Beth kept talking to him calmly. Ken and Tara kept a look out, hoping the man's shouts wouldn't draw in any nearby walkers.

"I've been looking for you," Morgan told Rick. "Gotta make it clear. Gotta make it safe. Clear. Clear."

"Morgan," Beth said, mirroring Rick's tone. "Let us help you."

"No one's safe. Gotta be clear. Clear. Not clear there, not clear here."

"Morgan," she repeated, as Rick and Daryl closed in on him. "Why did you make that list?"

"Constant vigilance," Morgan said, his wide eyes meeting Beth's. "Watch. Learn. Make a trap. Keep it clear."

Suddenly, Rick lunged for Morgan's gun, ripping it away from the other man while Daryl took hold of Morgan's arms, keeping them behind his back.

"No!" Morgan yelled.

"We're helping you, Morgan. You found me. It's safe here," Rick told him, trying to meet the other man's gaze.

Morgan stopped struggling, panting heavily. "Not safe," he said. "People dyin'. People killin'."

Rick and Beth exchanged a final look before she gathered up the kill Daryl had dropped while Daryl dragged Morgan towards the camp, with Rick by his side. Tara and Ken trailed them, still watching and listening.

When they reached the gates, Deanna and Spencer had joined Michonne.

The safe-zone leader looked at Morgan, then at Rick. "Who's this?"

"Morgan Jones," Rick told her. "He's a friend. He's been following us for a long time now."

"Seeking. Tracking. Got his message. Atlanta not safe. Not clear. Gotta make it clear."

Deanna's brow lifted. "Rick…"

"We can't let him in!" Spencer hissed at his mother.

"Please," Beth said, cutting in. "I know you don't know him, but Rick does. Trust Rick. We can keep him safe, keep an eye on him."

Deanna looked at Beth for a moment before sighing. "Very well."

Michonne nodded at Rick before opening the gate.

Morgan looked back at the leader. His eyes narrowed. "You're not…" Then he frowned, looking down. "Not clear," he muttered quietly, which Beth heard.

She looked back towards Deanna, who was avoiding looking at Morgan now. Beth's eyes narrowed in turn. She passed Ken and Tara what they gathered in the hunt, asking them to take it in, before following Rick, Morgan, and Daryl towards the houses.

Rick guided Morgan into the other house that he lived in. "See? It's all right."

Morgan eyed the house. "Right," he repeated, with a bite that sounded almost sarcastic to Beth.

Beth looked towards Daryl as Morgan wandered around the living room. Daryl was tense and his blue eyes never left Morgan, as though he was waiting for him to attack them.

"I can handle this," Rick told Daryl and Beth. "I know him."

"You sure?" Beth asked quietly.

Rick nodded.

Daryl's jaw tensed, but he reluctantly followed Beth when she walked out of the house and over to the other one next door.

"He's the one I saw," Beth said once they were on the porch.

"What?"

Beth told him about the night of the gathering and how she was a strange figure in black outside, and how she had dismissed it. "I thought I was crazy or somethin'," she confessed, shaking her head.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

Beth looked up. "I dunno," she murmured. "I thought you'd think I was crazy too."

Daryl frowned and reached up to touch her long ponytail. "I think you're crazy of thinkin' that," he told her.

Beth smiled slightly. "I'm sorry." She glanced at the other house. "What do you think will happen now?"

"Dunno," Daryl said with a sigh. "Morgan's messed up, worse than the rest of us."

"I know," Beth said, leaning against the porch railing. "Poor guy."

"Mhm. Rick will figure it out."

"You're right," Beth sighed, running her thumb over her promise ring nervously. "But, Daryl, the things he was sayin'…"

"We dunno if they're true, darlin'," Daryl said in a low, soft voice as he leaned down beside her.

"What if they are?" she asked, looking into his eyes.

"Then it's Rick and Deanna's decision about what to do."

Beth looked at her hands, which were twisting together. "I think Deanna knows more than she's letting on."

Daryl frowned. "You think Rick knows?"

"Dunno. Maybe. Rick's smart. I just hope I'm wrong."

Daryl exhaled deeply again and pulled Beth into his arm, pressing his lips to her forehead. "It'll be okay, darlin'."

Beth leaned against Daryl, clenching at the leather vest he was wearing, trying to force down the doubt that rose in her throat and push away the voice that was telling her that it would certainly _not _be okay.

Ooo0ooO

**Disclaimer: I do not own TWD.**

**Author's Note: *Scooby Doo voice* Ruh-roh!**

**Please review! **


	17. Keeper

Chapter Seventeen: Keeper

The next morning found Beth out on the front porch of the house, wrapped in Daryl's jacket and curled in the broken-in rocking chair. Her hair was piled on top of her head and she was twisting her promise ring again and again, her brow furrowed.

Pulling her knees to her chest, Beth rested her hand against her cheek, breathing in the smell of the leather and Daryl. Her eyes drifted half-shut.

"Beth?"

"Mmm?" She looked up and smiled. "Hi."

Daryl leaned against the doorframe, pushing his shaggy hair from his eyes. "What are you doin'?"

"Thinking," she murmured.

"You look tired."

Beth nodded.

"Come on," he said, gently reaching down to scoop her into his arms.

Beth sighed, nuzzling her cheek against the curve of his neck. "I wanted some fresh air," she explained on a sigh.

Daryl carried her up the stairs quietly, pushing the door to their bedroom open with his foot before closing it. He placed her down on the bed before lying down beside her. He brushed the stray strands of hair away from her face. "What's on your mind, darlin'?"

Beth reached up to play with the ends of Daryl's hair and to pluck at the collar of his shirt with her slender fingers. "Morgan."

"You don't trust him?"

She shook her head. "I don't know what to think. I still say that Deanna is hiding something."

"Can't go findin' trouble if there's none there."

"But what if there is?"

"Trouble's always there. It's outside the walls. Not here."

"How can you be so sure?" Beth asked, her brow furrowing again, plucking harder at his shirt.

"I gotta believe that."

Beth sighed, this time from frustration. "I can't."

Daryl rubbed her back soothingly, then kissed the top of her head. "Get some sleep, darlin'."

Beth wanted to keep pushing the conversation, but decided he was right. She needed the rest. So she curled up against Daryl, pressing her forehead into his chest and breathing him in until her eyelids drooped and she slipped away slowly into a dreamless sleep.

When Beth woke up again, Daryl's arms were still around her, but his front was pressed against her back as they comfortably spooned in the middle of their bed.

Beth smiled and brought one of his hands up to her lips, and for a moment, she pretended that they were together in a world without walkers, without safe-zones, without any troubles. It was just her and him and this bed, and it was perfect.

Then a pair of lips pressed themselves against the curve of her shoulder and Beth shivered, breaking free of her thoughts. She turned Daryl's wrist so she could read the time on his watch. The hands were frozen on 4:43.

She laughed. "Your watch is broken."

"It's midmornin'," he told her in a rough voice.

"Do we have to get up?" she asked, kissing his hand again gently.

Daryl exhaled deeply, pressing himself before firmly against her. His other hand cupped her breast, making her gasp softly. "No."

Beth wiggled so she could turn to face him. She gave him a mischievous smile. "Good," she laughed before pulling the covers over their heads.

Ooo0ooO

Later that day, Beth walked alone down the streets, pulling Daryl's jacket more tightly around her. She kicked at a pebble with her boot, watching as it rolled across the asphalt.

When her gaze lifted, she froze.

In front of her stood Morgan, who was staring up at a house with an odd, fixed expression. His fingers twitched by his side.

Beth gathered her courage before moving forward. "Morgan?" she said softly.

The older man's eyes jumped to her before moving back to the house. "Not clear," he replied, as if that was the answer for everything.

"What do you mean?" Beth wanted to know, pausing so she could still give him his space.

"It's got to be cleared."

"The house?"

Morgan's fingers twitched more spastically.

Beth tried again. "The safe-zone?"

There was a slight nod.

"How can it be cleared?"

"Traps."

"For the walkers? Or for the people?"

"People are walkers. Walkers are people. People become walkers, but walkers don't become people."

Beth sidled closer, then rested her hand on Morgan's arm. "Hey."

Morgan looked at her, not paying attention to her hand.

"Are you hungry?"

He blinked.

Beth gave him a kind smile. "Come on. Let's go get some food."

Morgan watched her as she guided him down the street towards the mess hall. "You're not afraid."

Beth looked over at him. "Do I need to be?"

"Fear keeps you alive."

"Are you afraid, Morgan?"

"Fear killed my boy."

Beth's hand lowered and found Morgan's and she squeezed it gently, even though he looked slightly alarmed. "I lost my family too. I'm sorry."

Morgan looked at her with an unreadable look in his eyes before they entered the hall.

Beth showed him where they got their food, where it was stored. She ushered him to the long tables and sat across from him, all while talking to him. Sometimes he would reply with odd answers, sometimes he wouldn't say anything at all.

Beth found she didn't mind. She felt a small amount of guilt for thinking of him as someone who was crazy. She looked at him now and realized that this was just his way of surviving everything he had been through.

She had been lucky. She had had the group, her sister, and Daryl. Morgan had had none of that after he had lost his son and had gone his separate ways from Rick.

Beth wondered how he would've been if he had stayed with Rick and had found his way to the group she was now a part of.

And when they were finished eating, Beth took Morgan out for a walk along the gates of Alexandria, checking for any weak points.

"Beth?"

Beth paused, looking over at Morgan with surprise. "Yes?"

His brow furrowed. "Why are you being so kind to me?"

Beth turned so she could face him. "Why wouldn't I be?"

"Because I know how the others see me."

"Well, I see you differently," Beth stated firmly.

"You're not afraid," he repeated.

Beth understood what he meant. "Not of you, no," she said. She smiled.

And she swore, for just a moment, she might have seen him smile.

Ooo0ooO

When the sun set and the stars came out, Beth climbed out of the bedroom window and up onto the section of roof that covered the front porch.

Sighing, she crossed her legs in front of her and leaned back onto her hands. She gazed up at the stars, moving her foot to the beat of a song she had stuck in her head.

"_I've collected up blue stars_

_I have ripped them from his belt_

_Up in the clear sky_

_Out in the black night…_"

"Beth?" Daryl's head peered out from the window.

"Come out here," she said, beckoning with her hand.

So he did.

Their fingers intertwined as they sat together side by side. She kept humming her song and he kept watching the sky and then her.

"_I have asked the sun to sink_

_All the birds to cease their singing_

_To close up this long day_

_Draw blinds on its mistakes…_

_I have ordered all the words_

_To surround you and speak in turn_

_The best that they dare state_

_The things that I can't say…_"

She smiled when she saw Daryl watching her.

"_Oh the city homes are all alight_

_And the sky has filled itself with night_

_I will steal these things away_

_For us both…_"

Sighing, Beth rested her head against Daryl's shoulder, smiling once more when he kissed her forehead softly.

Then she pulled back and reached up, resting her hand against his cheek. The ring she wore gleamed a soft silver in the moonlight.

"Daryl?" she breathed, leaning her forehead against his.

"Hmm?"

"I love you. You know that, right?"

Daryl's eyes never left hers when he nodded slowly.

Beth lowered her gaze before moving closer to him to bury her face into his neck. "I love you," she whispered again, more softly.

Then Daryl's lips were against her ear. "I love you too."

Beth pulled back, looking him in the eye again.

When she saw the look on his face, she exhaled and gave him a wobbly smile. "Oh."

Then she threw her arms around his neck and he pressed his forehead against her shoulder, breathing out shakily.

Beth kept smiling as they sat together, wrapped in each other's arm. She played with the ends of his hair and Daryl's hands tightened around her waist.

And for another moment, Beth imagined them in that other world, and as they breathed together, she could almost pretend that they were really there instead of being on that roof, in the middle of a safe-zone that kept the danger that lingered outside, outside.

She wanted to believe, like Daryl, that no threats lied within the walls of Alexandria, even with the doubts that she felt.

But she decided not to focus on that right now. Right now was about her and Daryl and the words they had finally managed to tell one another, words which had been felt for a long, long time.

Ooo0ooO

**Disclaimer: I do not own TWD.**

**Author's Note: The song featured in this chapter is "Infinity Street" by Richard Walters.**

**Please review!**


	18. Hider

Chapter Eighteen: Hider

Over the next month, Beth kept quiet about her suspicions about Deanna. She began learning how to keep watch in the towers by Spencer before taking over the duty in the early morning hours.

Beth found she didn't mind waking up before the sun. She liked watching the sun rise over the horizon and how the sky turned colors over the vast expanse of trees that surrounded the safe-zone.

Today she stood at the northern tower, holding one of the larger guns that they had stored in the vault, and watched the sun rise again as her breath misted in the cool morning air.

If she listened hard enough, she could hear the birds singing in the nearby trees and it made her smile. Her eyes scanned the grounds but didn't see anything out of the ordinary.

Slinging the gun across her back, she tightened her ponytail before braiding it back so it wouldn't tickle her neck. She mused how she needed to cut it. But those thoughts always seemed to diminish when she and Daryl were alone, and his large fingers were tangled in the thick blonde mass, baring her throat to him…

Beth shivered.

"Beth!"

Glancing over the edge of the tower, Beth smiled. "Morgan- hi!"

The older man looked up at her, his eyes creasing at the edges. He lifted up the small thermos he had in his hands. "Coffee?"

Her smile widened. "Be right down!"

Using the wooden staircase, Beth jogged down the steps quickly and quietly before stopping in front of Morgan. "Good morning."

"Morning," he said softly, before offering her the thermos. "I didn't know how you like it, so I put a bit of cream and sugar inside."

"Thank you," Beth said, giving him another smile before taking a long sip. She was glad he had added the sugar, because the coffee was very strong.

"All clear?" he asked, looking back up the tower.

"All clear," she reassured him.

Over the past month, Beth made the effort to understand Morgan better, not wanting him to feel alienated in the safe-zone. He only seemed to relax around her and Rick, and would often look uncomfortable or anxious when surrounded by too many people, like in the mess hall.

Beth understood that Morgan had a different way of surviving and thinking when it came to living in this kind of world. His anxieties of keeping his space safe and clear had reached a breaking point when he had lost his son and his wife, and now it had bloomed into a kind of disorder that Beth did not truly understand, but she did her best to _try_.

Unlike the others in Alexandria, Beth chose not to shy away from what she did not understand, but instead took the time to decipher his habits, his language, and his way of thinking.

Eventually, Beth felt she began to grasp Morgan's ways better and better, until they both developed a way of understanding each other together.

Beth allowed herself to smirk triumphantly again before taking another sip of strong, sugared coffee.

"Come on," she said, offering him the thermos. "Let's go patrol."

Morgan nodded before following her quietly, always one step behind her.

Ooo0ooO

Daryl woke up with a strange feeling in his gut. He instinctively reached out for Beth, only to find her side of the bed gone.

_She's out on patrol_, he reminded himself.

Sighing and rubbing his hands over his face, Daryl sat up slowly. He massaged the back of his neck before standing up, looking outside.

Dawn had just broke over the horizon, so he knew Beth would be scouting the walls before returning to her post at the northern tower until the afternoon.

Today, he was going out on a run with Ken, Tara, Abraham, and Rosita. They were low on medical supplies, which meant they had to go to the closest city hospital to restock.

But his unease didn't stem from the idea of going into a walker-ridden city.

So he walked out of the house, pulling his winged leather vest on, before he went to find Beth. He found her along the west-facing wall, inspecting a loose section of wall that needed to be reinforced.

He stared.

She was laughing at something Noah was telling her, her cheeks pink. Her hair was falling out of the braid she had pulled it into and she was wearing one of his worn, sleeveless shirts, which bagged on her slender frame.

Next to her stood Morgan, still and silent like always. His gaze was watchful and when he saw Daryl, he gently nudged Beth to get her attention.

Beth looked over and her whole expression warmed. She tucked a piece of hair behind her ear, making her promise ring gleam, before she walked over to where Daryl stood.

When they were toe to toe, she rose up on hers to brush her lips across his, her blue eyes still on his. "Hi," she whispered.

He reached up and cupped her neck with his hand. His thumb brushed along her jawline. "I have to go soon."

Beth's hands reached out to grasp his shirt, pulling him closer. She leaned her forehead against his. "Be safe."

"Always am," he murmured before pressing his lips to her forehead. When he pulled back, his hands grasped hers briefly before their fingers slid apart slowly.

"I'll see you soon," she said, giving him a brave smile.

"See you soon," he agreed, before turning to walk away, but not before looking over his shoulder once more.

Beth watched him go, that tangled braid falling over her shoulder. Her lips curved and she waved, but her eyes gave her worry away.

So Daryl turned back and kept going, before he gave in and went back to her.

Ooo0ooO

Morgan stood quietly as Daryl said goodbye to Beth. He blinked at the way they looked at each other.

And when Daryl walked away, Morgan's eyes didn't miss how Beth twisted the silver ring on her finger nervously.

He was slightly startled when he found himself next to her- when did he move?- but nonetheless, he rested his hand against the young woman's shoulder.

Her gaze met his, pure blue against deep brown, one full of worry and the other full of understanding.

"I always worry when he leaves," Beth confessed on a hushed whisper, bowing her head.

"The weak run. The strong come back."

Beth looked back up at him, but didn't say anything at first. Then her expression changed. "He will be…safe?" Her eyes looked like they were pleading for him to understand.

And he did. "Clear," he stated with a firm nod.

Beth visibly relaxed. She turned back to Noah and quietly began fixing the weak point, her gaze now thoughtful.

Morgan looked back in the direction that Daryl had gone and stiffened. Right in the middle of the road stood Deanna, her cool blue gaze on him. Morgan's fingers twitched by his side.

Then the safe-zone leader walked away, disappearing around the corner of the main hall.

Morgan clenched his hands to keep them from trembling. "Not safe," he whispered very softly.

But then Beth called his name, drawing his attention away from the other woman, and back to the task on hand.

Ooo0ooO

The two women sitting side by side in the back of the Jeep leaned against each other, hands gripped tight over their weapons.

The one with the closely cropped hair leaned close, whispering into the other's ear.

"He's distracted," Ken said in hushed tones to Tara.

Tara's coffee brown eyes flickered to Daryl, then back to her girlfriend, arching a brow questioningly.

Ken nodded mutely.

Tara frowned and sighed. "Beth," she mouthed.

Again, Ken nodded. She ran a hand through her short hair, which had been cut- _finally_\- to keep it from her eyes. Then a shoulder nudged her own.

"It will be fine," Tara said reassuringly.

Ken's lips bowed into a frown.

It was Tara's turn to lean in close. "Just focus on what we need to do, then we can get back to Alexandria."

Ken smiled slyly. "It's hard to focus right now," she whispered back, "You're _very_ distracting."

Tara blushed, but then leaned her head against Ken's shoulder.

Neither woman saw Daryl's gaze lift to look at them in the rear view mirror, or how he saw their fingers lace together.

When they reached their destination, Abraham took point rather than Daryl, who shadowed the red-haired man. Rosita was right next to him, then Tara and Ken followed, watching their backs.

At first, everything went according to plan. They entered the hospital and went down the corridors quickly and silently, gathering what they needed into the bags they had brought before slinging them across their backs.

Suddenly, there was a loud clanging noise, like something large crashing against the floor.

Everyone froze.

Then they heard it, the familiar and frightening sound of snarls and snaps followed by the slow shuffle of feet.

"Go! _Go!_" Abraham shouted.

So they did.

Rosita bolted down a hallway before letting out a startled scream. A small horde of walkers lunged for her. There was a whisper of noise before the walker closest to her fell, a green arrow embedded in its eye.

Then Ken and Tara were there, taking them down with fast, sure movements, working as a team as Rosita found an exit.

With Abraham and Daryl shadowing, they all made a run for it, allowing the hospital emergency exit door to slam behind them, which reverberated through the quiet alleyway they found themselves in.

"Shit," Rosita cursed.

More walkers appeared, snarling like a pack of diseased wolves, making their way to the small group of humans.

"Get to the Jeep!" Ken yelled.

So they sprinted away from the walkers, only to find themselves between two groups of walkers that were closing in on them on either way of the alleyway.

"The ladder!" Tara exclaimed, pointing to the ladder that needed to be pulled down for the fire escape.

Rosita immediately took a running start and leapt straight into the air, grabbing the last rail and yanking it down with a cry, before whirling around. "_Climb!_"

Ken was the first to go, pulling herself up with ease, and was followed by the others.

When they reached the top of the fire escape, they looked down at the growing herd of walkers that were gathering at the bottom, hissing and snarling.

"Fuck," Rosita and Ken growled in unison.

"Now what?" Tara asked nervously, looking over at Daryl.

"We can't take them all," Abraham said, wiping the sweat off of his face. "We can try to see if there's a way down on the other side…"

Ken strode over to the other side of the roof, peering down. "There's another fire escape…but this one looks like it's out of commission about halfway down."

When the rest of them looked down, they saw that the escape had broken off, leaving a twenty foot drop from the last railing to the street below.

"We have to try," Rosita decided, before descending first.

When she reached the end, she swung a few times before dropping, then rolling to absorb the landing on her back. Abraham followed suit, mimicking her landing, even though his lacked the grace that hers did.

Tara followed and had to be caught, since her grip had slipped on the railings when they creaked precariously. Ken went down as quickly as she could before dropping straight down. Even from his position on the roof, Daryl could hear the tell-tale sound of a bone crunching when she landed on her ankle at an awkward position. How she choked back a scream, however, Daryl did not know, but he knew if she had, they would have been in more trouble.

So Daryl descended and fell, landing hard on his shoulder. He growled when the joint popped, but before he could react, Abraham pulled it back into place before Daryl could utter a curse.

"Thanks," Daryl muttered, rolling it and wincing.

"Let's go," the taller man ordered, giving Daryl a brief nod.

Ken leaned against Tara, but was quickly scooped into Abraham's arms so they could run to the Jeep. She was placed gently in the back with Rosita and Tara. Rosita yanked up Ken's pants to inspect her ankle when they tore off down the street, speeding away from the walkers.

Ken screamed this time when Rosita poked and prodded at her leg. Her head rested in Tara's lap and her hand was in Tara's as well, and she bit back a stream of curses.

"I'd say a hairline fracture," Rosita told the other woman. "You're damn lucky you didn't shatter the bone. Why didn't you roll?"

"Rosita," Tara hissed.

Rosita just glared before tending to Ken's ankle, which she wrapped into a splint. "We'll have to put this into a brace when we get to the safe-zone, once we reset the bone," she said. "Otherwise you'll be walking with a limp for the rest of your life and will be useless."

"_Rosita!_"

"Sorry," Rosita muttered, even though, to Daryl, she didn't sound very sorry.

Ooo0ooO

Once she was done patrolling, Beth went to see the kids for a little bit before heading to the mess hall to grab some dinner. When she turned the corner, she saw something that made her freeze and press herself against the wall so she stayed hidden.

Deanna was talking in hushed whispers with Spencer, who looks both furious and shocked.

"Do you want what happened to poor Alec to happen again, Spencer?" Deanna hissed. "We know who the killer is- we have to stop him!"

"You have no proof!" Spencer argued.

"I know what I saw!"

Beth felt something cold lodge itself in her chest.

"Mom… we need evidence. We can't throw out someone based on what you may or may not have seen. Morgan is innocent until proven guilty."

Beth gasped before slapping a hand over her mouth. She dashed away quickly.

Her mind raced.

Was Deanna planning on getting rid of Morgan? Why? Was it because he knew something that she didn't want anyone else to know? Was it about Alec and how he died?

Beth sprinted until she thought her lungs would burst, running in the direction where she knew Morgan had tucked himself away, hidden from the rest of the safe-zone members.

In the eastern watch tower, there was a small opening to the bottom of the wooden tower that was about ten feet wide and teen feet tall, which Morgan had made his own space. Even though it was small, it was secure in his eyes.

Beth cried out his name, then stumbled to a stop.

Morgan emerged, looking startled. "Beth?"

Between gulping breaths, Beth explained what she had seen. "M-Morgan?" she asked, her voice quavering. "What did you see?"

Morgan's gaze lowered. "M-m… Mmm…." His fists clenched. "Mayhem. Murder. Madness."

Beth blinked, worry etching itself into her forehead. "Morgan… did Deanna kill Alec?"

Morgan twitched. "Monster."

"Morgan!" Beth cried, stepping closer.

"_Murderer!_" he shouted, but he wasn't looking at Beth, but at whoever was standing behind her.

"Yes, Morgan. I see one standing right…there."

When Beth turned, she saw Deanna pointing at Morgan, a cold look in her eyes. Beth then looked at Spencer, who looked utterly defeated.

"I…tried, Beth," he said, his shoulders slumping.

"What's going on?"

Beth nearly cried with relief when she heard Rick's voice.

"I'm exiling this murderer, Rick. As our constable, I'm sure you understand why."

"No!" Beth exclaimed, putting herself between Morgan and Deanna.

"Beth…" Deanna warned.

"What are you talking about, Deanna? Morgan is no killer," Rick said with a hardening expression as he mirrored Beth's move.

Beth turned to Morgan, who was now muttering rapidly under his breath, his eyes wide and fingers clenched. "Morgan," she said softly, reaching out for him.

"Not _safe!_" Morgan yelled. "You made it _not safe!_"

"You were the one who put our safety at risk," Deanna stated, lifting her chin slightly.

"No. Hidden away. You hid the truth. Hide. Hider. Liar."

"You see? He is not in his right mind! He is the one who is not safe!"

Then, with perfect clarity, Morgan looked into Deanna's eyes. "You were not cleared."

Beth's gaze flew to Deanna. The air seemed to freeze in her lungs. "It- it was you!" she realized. "You killed Alec!"

"_What?_" Deanna exclaimed. "That's preposterous!"

"But it's true! You got so obsessed with making sure that this place was safe- you made it unsafe! You killed Alec because he compromised that! And made it look like a suicide!" Beth screamed.

Deanna paled, taking a step back. "You have no evidence!"

"I think we do," Rick said coldly. "Morgan saw everything."

Morgan's hands weren't trembling anymore. "Fear didn't keep him alive. You saw to that. You killed him because of it. Not safe. Not clear. You hide the truth- tell them _the truth!_"

"_I did what I had to do!_"

Deanna's voice echoed across the clearing.

Rick stood protectively in front of Morgan now, his eyes cold. "And now we will do what we have to do- keep our safe-zone safe from people like _you_."

"He's the madman! I did what was _right!_"

Grim faced, Spencer turned against his mother. "Mom…"

Beth stepped forward, resting her hand against Spencer's arm. She looked up at him, her friend, and saw the pain in his eyes. Then she nodded.

Taking a deep breath, Spencer face his mother once more.

Ooo0ooO

A week later, all was quiet in Alexandria.

The scandal regarding Deanna had finally blown over, for the most part. Once everyone learned the truth, very few felt sympathy towards her. She had been exiled, ordered never to return by her own son, who then took up position as the safe-zone leader.

Morgan was welcomed into the community, and even though crowds still unnerved him, he was no longer regarded as someone to be feared.

Daryl and his group had returned and Ken was on the mend, having been patched up by Carol (and scolded some more).

Beth was relieved that they all had returned in one piece.

But right now, she had left Daryl in their bed to go for a walk as the sun began to slowly rise.

Morgan was standing alone by the eastern tower, looking out into the woods. He turned when he heard Beth coming. "Hello, Beth."

"Good morning," she said softly.

"Quiet," he remarked.

She smiled. "IF you're quiet enough, you can hear the birds sing."

So they listened for some time, before she left him be.

She found Spencer sitting along on the front steps on the main hall, looking a little lost.

So she sat down beside him and smiled.

"What am I supposed to do now?" he asked her.

Beth considered that. "What we always do- keep going."

"I don't know if I can be a leader..."

"I'll follow you," she said.

Spencer glanced at her. "You will?"

Beth smiled again. "I think you're going to do just fine."

A hesitant smile spread across his face. "Thanks, Beth."

And together, they watched as the safe-zone woke up and went about their duties, and for once, it was truly…_safe._

For now.

Ooo0ooO

**Disclaimer: I do not own TWD.**

**Author's Note: Please review!**


	19. Follower

Chapter Nineteen: Follower

After some time had passed, things in Alexandria went back to the way they had been before the banishment of their old leader. Everyone adjusted to following Spencer, who rose up to the occasion and proved himself as a fine leader.

Some surprise came when Spencer announced that he wanted to have a kind of council to lead the safe-zone, rather than having it under a singular leader. And when he elected Beth Greene to his council first, she accepted the position, and took to it very well. Spencer and Beth were joined by Rick and two older members of Alexandria, who were a married couple that had been living at the safe-zone since it was erected. Their names were Dave and Jolene.

Morgan took over Beth's position as guard and seemed to enjoy his duties, since it allowed him to keep the entire safe-zone in check and cleared.

Beth still made sure she had time to help out with other things, like watching over the children and helping Carol in the kitchens. Rick was still in his position as constable, even though Michonne took over more duties when Rick was brought into the council.

But for today, Beth found herself free of any duties, and chose to spend her day with Daryl. They were out in the yard and she was practicing with his crossbow.

Beth closed one of her eyes and bit her lip in concentration.

Daryl's lips were suddenly against the shell of her ear. "Keep both eyes open."

She shivered and did as she was told. She lifted the bow again, aiming towards the target they had set up from an old tarp they had marked with red paint.

Daryl's hands were gentle as they adjusted her aim. "Like this," he murmured. "And…"

When the arrow released, the jolt sent Beth's elbow back into Daryl's chest, making him grunt. Beth turned, her blue eyes wide. "Oh! I'm sorry," she exclaimed, but her lips twitched when he gave her a baleful look.

She turned and placed a hand on the area of the chest her elbow had smacked. She looked up at him from under her lashes. "Does it hurt?"

Daryl just watched her with his burning gaze.

Beth leaned up to kiss the corner of his jaw. "Better?" she whispered. Her lips curved when she felt his breathing become uneven.

"No," he all but growled.

"We should fix that," she decided, plucking at the buttons of his shirt.

Then the laughter that had been bubbling in her chest burst out when Daryl grabbed her by her hips and hauled her over his shoulder, carrying her back into the house and up into their room.

When the door slammed shut, Daryl pinned Beth to it.

She grinned at him, running her fingers through his hair. "What are you going to do to me, Mr. Dixon?" she asked teasingly.

Daryl pulled her close and laid his lips against her ear again. "Tell me what you want me to do," he said in a rumbling voice.

Beth's smile turned coy.

Ooo0ooO

Daryl watched Beth as she slept quietly beside him. She was lying on her stomach and the sheet was gathered below her waist, giving him a view of her smooth back. His fingers traced the moles dotted there and the dip of her spine.

Her hair was tangled and spilled over the pillow behind her, turning a light gold in the sunlight. Her lips were curved slightly as if she was dreaming of pleasant things.

The hand was curled beside him was the one decorated with his promise ring. The silver gleamed coolly against her skin.

Something in his chest ached at the sight of it. He had never had a person make any kind of promise to him, much less keep it, but Beth was unlike anyone he had ever met. She was warm and kind, and when she looked at him, he didn't just see the love in her eyes, but _felt_ that love, with every kiss and every touch.

As for him, it felt like something that filled him up, something that healed every scar his mind and body had ever bore. He felt it when she smiled and when she laughed. Even now, he couldn't stop touching her, because some part of him could not believe that she was truly his.

Her eyes fluttered open and found his, and she gave him an affectionate smile. "What ae you thinkin' about?" she whispered.

"You," he murmured, running his fingers over the dip in her back again, looping them over the dimples in her lower back, and back up again.

"That's funny," she said, moving over closer to him before brushing her lips over his. "Because I was just dreaming about you."

"Were you?"

"Mmm," Beth hummed, moving over him until she was straddling his waist.

His eyes roamed over her, her creamy skin, her small breasts tipped in pink, and the curve of her collarbone and the tangle of pale hair that fell around her shoulders.

He leaned up so he could trace that collarbone with his lips, before descending on her breasts. He could feel her breath hitching and her hands dove back into his hair, holding his close as her hips bucked against his.

"I was dreaming of this," she rasped against his ear before sinking down on his length.

Daryl's hands tightened around her hips and he groaned. "I like this dream."

Beth's laughter was breathless.

Ooo0ooO

Beth's cheek was being tickled by a bright red curl was she continued to read the latest book the children had selected.

"'Happiness can be found in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light'," she read, doing her best Dumbledore impression.

"Miss Beth," the little red-haired girl who was curled on Beth's lap interrupted. "What does he mean?"

"Don't interrupt, Cassie!" the boy sitting next to Beth snapped. His hair was just as red as his twin's.

"It's all right, Max," Beth said soothingly, marking the page she was on before putting the book down. She looked down at the girl. "What do you think it means?"

"I think… I think it means that even though things can be bad and scary, there's some good things too. Like Ms. Carol's cookies!"

Beth laughed. "Yes, Ms. Carol's cookies are a very good thing." She looked at Max now, whose expression was glum. "Max, what do you think Dumbledore means?"

"I think he means…that good and bad things exist, and we have to find the good things to be happy, or we'll always be in the dark."

Beth gazed at the freckled boy beside her. "I think you're exactly right."

Suddenly, the door swung open, revealing Spencer, who looked a little ragged. Beth placed Cassie aside and told her and her brother to join the other kids, who were finger painting. When they did, she stood and walked over to the safe-zone leader, who was gazing at the wall with a blank expression.

"Spencer?" she asked gently, placing her hand on his arm.

He blinked and looked at her. "Beth," he said, as though he was surprised to see her there.

"Are you all right?"

He laughed and it was cold and bitter. "Sure. Just peachy."

Beth guided him a few feet away from the children, giving him a concerned look. "Tell me," she said gently.

Spencer raked a hand through his hair, his eyes restless and his fingers clenched by his side. "The hunting group just came back," he began slowly, his voice hollow and raspy. "They had to go out farther than usual, because game was been getting scarce. And they…they…"

Following her instincts, Beth reached down to take Spencer's hand in her own. "It's all right."

Spencer exhaled shakily. "They came across a small herd of walkers. And one of them… one of them was my mother."

Beth felt like the air had been sucked from her lungs. Her blood buzzed in her ears and a chill skittered down her spine. "Spencer," she gasped.

"Is this my fault? Did I do this?" he asked, looking into her eyes desperately. He began shaking. "Beth, did I kill her?"

Beth's arm came up just in time as Spencer collapsed against her, his forehead pressed into her neck, his body racking with sobs.

Beth closed her eyes and willed herself to be strong enough for the both of them. "Spencer, I am so sorry," was all she could manage in the way of words.

Ooo0ooO

She didn't leave Spencer's side for the rest of the day. A meeting of the council was called and Beth was the one who told Dave, Jolene, and Rick, while Spencer sat like he was made of stone, his eyes finally dried from any tears.

It was Jolene who asked the question that had been on all of their minds. "And did they…take her life?"

Spencer's eyes darkened. "She was no longer alive. She was a part of the walking dead."

"Spencer," Beth murmured, reaching for her friend's hand again.

Spencer looked away. There was a moment of silence before he responded. "It was taken care of," he said through gritted teeth.

Jolene, who was a mother of three, leaned forward in her seat. "When the safe-zone first erected its walls, your mother was the one who stood tall as we lost people along the way. And I remember, there was one day when the children were trapped by a herd of walkers in the building that became the main hall. You were away on a run with your brother. It was your mother who saved them. It was your mother who saved us all." Jolene's hand tightened around Spencer's. "Remember her as the woman she once was, not the woman she became."

Dave, a man of few words, offered Spencer a few more. "And this too shall pass," he said in a deep, gravelly tone.

Ooo0ooO

The following day, it was raining heavy and the dark sky rumbled angrily with thunder.

Beth sat out on the porch, watching the rain fall in heavy sheets. Beside her was Spencer, who sat there silently with his hands folded in his lap around a coffee mug.

There was nothing she could say, she knew that. Did anyone know what to say to her when she lost her mother and then her father? No, because there was nothing they could say that would make it better.

So Beth did the only thing she could do. She sang.

"_Help, I have done it again_

_I have been here many times before_

_Hurt myself again today_

_And the worst part is there's no one else to blame…_

_Ouch, I have lost myself again_

_Lost myself and I am nowhere to be found,_

_Yeah, I think that I might break_

_Lost myself and I feel unsafe…_

_Be my friend,_

_Hold me, wrap me up_

_Unfold me_

_I am small and needy_

_Warm me up_

_And breathe me…_"

And as she did, Spencer's hand found hers once more.

Ooo0ooO

**Disclaimer: I do not own TWD.**

**Author's Note: This chapter featured the lyrics "Breathe Me" by Sia. Please review! **


	20. Finder

Chapter Twenty: Finder

Every day was tough in Alexandria. Every run or hunt presented new risks and challenges, and every moment of every day was utilized to make sure the camp was safe and running as smooth as possible.

But on a rare day, things would be quiet and the air wouldn't be as tense. This was one of those days.

Sitting side by side, Ken and Beth lounged in the front yard of the two houses Rick's group shared, cleaning weapons together. They talked about different things- their families, how they imagined their life would be if the world wasn't riddled with walkers.

They both agreed their lives would be radically different.

Beth hadn't spent much time with Ken since they had arrived to the camp, mostly because their duties did not coincide, and during their free time they were off with their significant others.

"How is Tara?" Beth asked, closing an eye so she could make sure the alignment of Daryl's bow was still straight before polishing it with a dirty rag.

"She's all right. I think the runs we go on wear her down sometimes, especially when someone gets hurt."

"Like you?" Beth pointed out, eyeing the leg brace that kept Ken's ankle straight.

Ken winced. "Yeah… I think that pissed her off, because I was stupid and wasn't thinking clearly."

"You get it off in two weeks, just make it up to her," Beth suggested.

"What, take her out on a romantic picnic in the woods filled with dead people?"

Beth rolled her eyes at the other girl's sarcasm. "No, just do something for her. Something thoughtful."

Ken frowned as she sharpened the edge of a hunting knife.

Beth could see the wheels turning in Ken's mind. She gave her a reassuring smile. "You'll figure it out," she said confidently.

Ken's smile was brief and wry. "Thanks, Beth."

Ooo0ooO

Daryl sat on the top of the eastern watch tower, with Morgan quietly by his side. Both men were keeping an eye out, but everything was quiet. Not a concerning kind of quiet, but tranquil.

Morgan was running a blade along a block of wood in long, smooth strokes, leaving shavings all over his lap, legs, and the floor next to him. He hummed tunelessly.

Daryl's calm blue gaze looked over the horizon again. The birds were out, which was a good sign. He could hear them off a little ways.

"Nice out," Morgan commented, looking up briefly.

Daryl glanced over at the other man. "Clear?"

Morgan's lips twitched, but his attention was back on his carving.

"You boys hungry?"

Both men turned at the sound of Carol's voice. The blue eyed woman smiled at up them with a hand on her hip.

"You cookin'?" Daryl asked.

"Who else? C'mon."

Daryl and Morgan climbed down, and Carol gave them another warm smile. She rested a hand on Morgan's arm briefly. "Everything looking all right out there?"

Morgan shrugged. "For now."

Carol's gaze flickered to Daryl, who mirrored Morgan's shrug.

"Where's Beth?" Carol asked as they started walking towards the main hall.

"With Ken," Daryl told her. "At the house."

When they rounded a corner, all three of them froze.

Pressed close together in an intimate embrace were Rick and Michonne, both completely unaware of their audience.

Daryl coughed into the back of his hand.

The couple broke apart with startled expressions. Michonne looked at each of them in turn before clearing her throat. Rick rubbed a hand across the back of his neck.

"Whatcha doin'?" Carol asked in a bright, teasing voice.

Rick stumbled over his words. "Michonne and I were just- we were just…"

Michonne gave Carol an amused look with an arched brow. "They're cute when they do that, hm?"

Carol nodded. "He _is_ adorable. Rick, are you blushing?"

Rick casted a look towards Daryl, silently begging for help.

Daryl lifted his hands as if to say, "I'm not getting in the middle of this one".

Carol and Michonne laughed before they all continued walking. Daryl and Rick fell in stride together and Daryl clapped a hand against Rick's shoulder, shaking his head with a small smile on his face.

Ooo0ooO

Carol and Michonne weren't the only ones sniggering when they walked into the main hall.

Sitting together were Beth, Ken, Tara, and Rosita, all snickering and murmuring to each other behind their hands. Beth's cheeks were flushed pink as she giggled manically at something Rosita said.

Daryl walked over and kissed her cheek. "What's so funny?" he asked.

Beth's eyes sparkled a bright blue. "Oh…nothin'."

"We're just casting bets," Ken told him, before yelping when Tara's elbow dug into her ribs.

"Shush!" Tara insisted, even as her lips twitched.

"Bets?" Daryl repeated, this time looking at Rosita, who looked smug.

Rosita flicked one of her braids over her shoulder. "Yeah, didn't you hear?" she asked, leaning in close. "There's a new girl in town."

Daryl immediately looked around the door.

Rosita rolled her dark eyes. "She's not _here_," she continued. "She's being…interviewed by Spencer."

Beth choked back another giggle, pressing her lips together.

"And that's…funny?" Daryl wanted to know.

"Well, yeah, you should have seen him when he saw her!" Ken exclaimed. She screwed up her face into a pinched expression. "'Oh, you, uh, wanna stay, uh, here? Oh, I, uh, see'," she mimicked.

Beth turned to bury her face into the crook of Daryl's neck, her body racked with silent giggles.

"He was utterly incapable of forming a sentence," Rosita stated, shaking her head before examining her nails.

"He was utterly _twitterpated_," Tara emphasized, miming a heart thudding out of her chest, which made Ken and Beth collapse with laughter again.

Suddenly, the door swung open again, revealing Spencer and a tall, dark haired woman with eyes shaped like a cat's.

Daryl studied her briefly.

She was tall and built like Ken, slender but obviously athletic, with smooth caramel colored skin, dark curling hair, and matching dark eyes. She wore faded, torn jeans that bagged against her frame and a fresh shirt that Daryl thought he had seen Spencer wear a few times.

Beth curled up against Daryl. "Her name is Catherine," she told him in a low whisper. "But she likes being called Cat."

That was fitting, Daryl mused silently. He wrapped an arm around Beth and pulled her closer, before pressing his lips to the curve of her jaw.

Ooo0ooO

Later that night, Beth snuggled against Daryl in one of the porch chairs, watching as the moon slowly rose in the sky.

"Everyone is finding someone," she mused out loud.

Daryl, who had been lost in thought while playing with her hair, turned to look at her. "Hmm?"

"You know, Rick and Michonne. Spencer and Cat."

"You know about Rick and Michonne?"

"Well, sure. They're not subtle. Wait, how do _you_ know?"

Daryl recounted the earlier encounter with the couple and Beth laughed.

"I saw them together when I first started in the council. They were off in an empty room in the main hall. I'm just glad I got out of there before they did anything!"

Daryl snorted before resting his chin on top of Beth's head. "D'ya think Spencer and Cat will…?" he trailed off.

Beth chuckled. "Oh, I don't know. I don't think Spencer can think clearly around her, so he certainly isn't thinking of things like _that_." Then she sighed, with a small smile playing across her lips. "But I am glad about one thing."

"What?"

"That this will be a distraction for him from…well, you know."

"Thinkin' of his ma?"

Beth nodded silently.

Daryl kissed Beth's forehead. "He'll never stop thinkin' of her. Did you stop thinkin' of Hershel when we got together?"

Beth thought about it before shaking her head. "No, I guess not."

Daryl pulled her closer. "Maybe he'll just realize there's more out there than dead people."

Beth laced her fingers with Daryl's. "Maybe," she said hopefully.

Ooo0ooO

**Disclaimer: I do not own TWD.**

**Author's Note: I needed a short, fluffy chapter. How about you guys? Please review!**


	21. Planner

Chapter Twenty One: Planner

When Beth woke up one morning, the air was cool and she could see the clouds gathering in the sky. She was curled up against Daryl's back, her forehead pressed against his shoulder blades and arms wrapped around his middle.

She sighed, wishing she could snuggle in closer rather than disentangle herself to get up. As quietly as possible, she slipped out of bed and winced when her bare feet hit the cold wooden floors.

Daryl exhaled deeply, rolling over to her abandoned pillow before pulling it close.

Beth smiled and watched him before wiggling into her jeans and pulling on her boots. Humming quietly, she glanced once more at Daryl before creeping out of the room and closing the door behind her.

When she got downstairs, she pulled on her own hoodie before pulling on Daryl's leather jacket. She stepped outside and felt the cool air whip against her cheeks. She pulled Daryl's jacket closer to her, shivering.

As she continued down the street, she planned on stopping by the main hall to see if Spencer was awake before going about her duties. Bouncing slightly to warm herself up, she began to sing the song she had stuck in her head.

"_Oh, it's kind of hard to hold inside_

_The universe that you provide_

_It is giving me a place to hide_

_And I hear, your name is ringing in my ear_

_Constantly I feel you there,_

_Like a heartbeat don't you go…_"

Pulling her hair back into a messy bun on top of her head, Beth stuck her hands in the deep pockets of the jacket.

"_That smile, that you have before we kiss_

_I will add it to my list, of the things of you I love. _

_I wish that I loved myself as much_

_As I love to feel your touch, forever starts right now._

_And my heart is beating way too fast_

_But my brain is shutting up at last,_

_A kind of quiet I don't seem to mind-,_"

Rounding the corner, Beth nearly slammed into Cat. Gasping, Beth placed a hand over her heart.

"Oh!" Cat exclaimed, looking equally as startled. She blinked her wide eyes, which looked darker against the black leather jacket she was wearing.

"Cat!" Beth said, giving her a wobbly smile. "Sorry, I didn't see you there."

Cat smiled, her teeth flashing white against her brown skin. "It's okay. Were you singing?"

"Uh, yeah," Beth said, tucking a loose strand behind her ear. "I like singing."

"You have a great voice," Cat returned.

"Thanks. Were you headed to see Spencer?"

Cat's expression turned a little sheepish. "Ah, no. I just, ah, saw him… I was just going to walk the perimeter. You?"

"I need to talk to him about something," Beth said, keeping her expression smooth.

"Oh, well, he's in the…" Cat made a vague gesture. "Hall."

Beth smiled. "Great. I'll see you later then?"

"Yeah. Yeah! See you."

Beth covered her mouth to keep from grinning obviously as Cat kept on walking, shaking her head. "Oh boy," she muttered before turning into the main hall.

Spencer was sitting alone that the head of a long table, drinking a cup of coffee she knew that he must have charmed out of Carol. His hair was tousled, like he- or someone else- had been running his fingers through it.

He looked up when he heard the door and blinked.

"Not expecting me?" Beth asked, giving him a knowing look.

Spencer looked down at his mug, brow furrowed. "Uh, I was just…"

Beth sat down next to him, amused. "How's Cat?"

His eyes widened.

Beth smiled. "I just ran into her outside," she said, mimicking the gesture Cat had done earlier.

"Oh," was all Spencer managed to say.

Beth's smile turned gentle. "I'm happy for you."

"You are?" Spencer asked, looking surprised.

She nodded. "Why wouldn't I be? You're my friend."

"I guess… I'm not used to having friends."

"Friends are allies. Allies help you survive," Beth said with a shrug. "Everyone needs at least one or two."

Spencer leaned back, running his hand through his hair again. "Well, thanks for being mine."

Beth's expression brightened. "And thanks for being mine." Then her expression turned serious, before she leaned forward, her forearms pressed into the table. "But that's not why I'm here."

Ooo0ooO

She had noticed it a few days ago- the silence. She had felt a chill go down her spine the first morning she woke up and didn't hear the birds.

Beth knew it could be nothing. It could be the weather, which had been stormy. But she also knew there were no coincidences, not in this world.

So later that day, she asked Ken to come with her outside the safe-zone, and the other girl had agreed, who was eager to stretch her legs after her ankle brace was removed.

They went out for a few miles, quietly scoping out the woods. Beth carried a bow and arrow along with a hunting knife, while Ken had a semi-automatic strapped across her back while holding a long, serrated knife in her hand.

They had both heard the herd before they had seen it. The snarling and low moans, and the snuffling footsteps. But when they had seen the herd, Beth and Ken had exchanged a look of horror.

Hundreds of walkers milled around in the fields that looked like they used to grow wheat, and they could see the torn down farmhouse in the distance that had walkers inside it as well. They were all silent or moving slowly, unstimulated by the lack of fresh meat.

Beth's heart hammered in her throat still when she thought of it. She knew then that she had to warn Spencer and the others, and chose to keep it quiet until she could, not wanting to cause panic.

She looked at Spencer now, who had been flushed when Beth had walked into the hall, sitting there still and pale.

"How many?" he finally asked.

Beth shook her head. "Two hundred. Maybe three. I'm not sure. It's the biggest herd I've seen in a long time. Not since we were at the prison."

Spencer blew out a breath, running a hand over his eyes. "We need to tell Rick and the other council members at least. We need to devise a plan in case that herd comes towards us."

Beth nodded, standing immediately. "I know where Rick is. You tell Dave and Jolene. No one else, not yet."

"Agreed," Spencer said, standing as well.

Beth walked out of the hall, her heart fluttering in her chest, adrenaline kicking in now that what had been on her mind was out and known, and now action needed to be taken in order to keep the safe-zone protected.

Her thoughts flew to Daryl and her stomach turned at the thought of not telling him right away, but she hoped he would understand.

Rick was right where she expected him to be, waiting at the northern gate to let a hunting party out for a morning hunt. He stood alone, which surprised Beth, since Michonne was usually with him.

"Where's Michonne?" she asked when she walked over.

Rick's brow furrowed. "There was a fight about to break out- something about someone stealing someone else's knife or something. What's wrong?"

Beth looked at him, understanding once more why Rick was always appointed leader. His ability to read people was uncanny. So she told him, as quickly and as calmly as she could, with her hands balled into fists in Daryl's jacket.

Rick didn't blanch like Spencer had, instead his lips thinned as a grim expression settled across his face. "Do the others know?"

"Only Spencer, and he's going to tell Dave and Jolene. I didn't want anyone to panic…"

"You did the right thing," Rick told her, laying a gentle hand on her arm. He tried to give her a smile. "If everyone get scared, everyone will get dead. We need to keep this under control until we know we can protect Alexandria."

Beth exhaled shakily. "So what do we do?" she asked, meeting his gaze. Tension filled her body, melting away the façade she had been putting on for the last few days. She had managed to choke back her own fear, knowing that if she kept a cool head, it would help them all in the long run.

"We make a plan, like we always do. We prepare the walls and we prepare the people. If the herd turns this way, we have to be ready," Rick stated, before looking out into the woods, as though he was half-expecting the herd to emerge from under the shadowy trees.

Beth knew that that expectation could turn into reality for them. And there wasn't any time to lose.

Ooo0ooO

**Disclaimer: I do not own TWD.**

**Author's Note: Dun dun dun! This chapter features the song "Made of You" by Cas Stonehouse. Please review!**


	22. Sinner

Chapter Twenty Two: Sinner

Daryl knew there was something wrong the moment Beth had returned from going out on a presumed "hunt" with Ken a few days back. Her expression was strained and her cheeks were paler than usual.

When she told him it was nothing, only that the hunt hadn't been successful, Daryl felt a stab of something in his gut, something akin to hurt and anger. Layered with confusion was to why Beth would lie to him, Daryl kept his mouth shut and ears opened.

When Beth had left in the morning, Daryl had already been awake but kept his eyes closed until he heard her leave the house. Then he got up and followed her, dodging Cat when he saw her approaching after exchanging words with Beth. He followed his girlfriend into the main hall, where he saw Spencer sitting at the table. The counsel member's expression changed from surprise to grim when Beth began talking, and Daryl's instincts told him that whatever Beth had to say to him was going to change how things were around the safe-zone, and soon.

So when Beth darted out of the hall, Daryl kept shadowing her. And when she found Rick, Daryl watched as the same grim expression washed over Rick's face when Beth spoke to him. This time, however, Daryl was close enough to hear what Beth was telling him.

"If the herd turns this way, we have to be ready," Rick told Beth.

Beth nodded. Suddenly, she stiffened.

When she turned around, Daryl didn't bother with trying to hide from her searching gaze. He stepped forward, folding his arms over his chest.

Beth's expression was conflicted. "How long have you been following me?" she finally asked in an unsteady voice.

"Long enough," Daryl replied.

"Daryl, I-,"

Daryl shook his head. Now wasn't the time. His gaze turned to Rick. "What do you need me to do?"

Rick didn't looked as surprised as Beth, then again, Daryl wouldn't have been surprised if Rick had known that he had been there the entire time. "Make sure any vehicles we have are ready in case we need to make a fast exit. I'll tell Morgan so we can start to secure the perimeter. Beth, go tell Carol so we can get an idea how long we can hold out before we have to take our next run."

Beth and Daryl nodded, before the three of them dispersed to get started.

Ooo0ooO

When she was growing up, Cat had lived in constant fear of being a sinner. Her mama had preached the bible to her, and her father had beaten her bloody anytime she had misbehaved. She had gone to church and Sunday school, all up until the day she turned eighteen, and then she ran away.

This time, she felt her sins were justified. God punished the wicked, she knew. He would punish those who had taken away the most important thing in her life. For the first time in years, she didn't feel the bitter tinge of guilt that had always stung the back of her throat when she indulged in the pleasures of the body and the mind.

Father Gabriel had been one of the first people she had met when she found Alexandria. She was brought in by Spencer and a few others, and their paths had crossed. He told her she could seek him out whenever she needed him, and she had.

Now she sought him for a different reason. Before she had asked for guidance, and now, she was going to ask for forgiveness.

Her large brown eyes turned to the older man as she walked over to where he stood.

Gabriel smiled when he saw her. "Good morning, Cat."

Cat folded her hands behind her back. "I need to speak with you."

The father's expression shifted into a frown. "What is it?"

"God… He forgives our sins, right?"

Gabriel nodded. "Yes, he does." He gave her a questioning look. "But you know that."

"How much can God forgive?"

Gabriel thought about it. "I suppose he forgives all."

"Even when we commit sins in His name? When we break the ten commandments?"

"Cat, I don't understand why-,"

Cat interrupted him by drawing out the long, serrated hunting knife she had had strapped to her belt. She gave the father a curious look, turning the knife slowly over in her hand. "Will He always forgive me- even for what I am about to do?"

Gabriel eyed the knife nervously He lifted his hands. "Cat, there's no need for this."

Cat ignored him, laughing bitterly. "Because, you see, God wasn't there every time my daddy hit me. God wasn't there when He took my brother from me. Well, I guess, _He_ didn't take him. All in due time, we get what we deserve. But my brother didn't deserve the fate that God dealt him." Her voice shook as angry tears filled her eyes. "And God punishes the sinners."

Gabriel tried to turn, to run, but Cat struck out like a snake, grabbing him and yanking him back into the knife until it pierced through his back. He managed to only gasp.

Cas leaned in close, whispering in his ear. "But this time, I'm the one who is going to punish them." With a sharp turn of her knife, she severed his spinal cord, and let him fall onto the ground.

She only spared a look at her dust-splattered boots before wiping the dripping blade across her jeans. Stepping over Gabriel's body, she began walking towards the south wall.

Ooo0ooO

Unaware of the violence occurring in a different part of the safe-zone, Beth returned to the main hall to find Carol in the kitchens, getting some food ready for the kids.

She quickly told the older woman what she knew, as well who else knew, before passing on Rick's instructions.

Carol's expression tightened at the news. "God help us if they turn this way."

Beth turned to run back outside, sparing the briefest of moments to send a quick prayer that the herd wouldn't come this way, that God would keep the people she cared about safe.

She went to find Daryl, who was working in the garage of one of the homes. He was under the hood of one of their minivans, his hands and arms already streaked with grease.

"Daryl," she said, walking over to him.

He looked up, but didn't say anything.

Beth stopped before she reached him. "Daryl?" she repeated more softly.

He turned back to the engine silently.

Her throat tightened. "Please talk to me," she said, her voice now a hushed whisper.

All she got as a grunt.

Beth clenched her hands into fists so they wouldn't shake. "I did what I had to do. I had to stay quiet. _I had to_."

She flinched when Daryl threw a wrench into the rusted toolbox with some force, making the tools rattle loudly.

"You said you were huntin'," he said coldly, looking at her. "You said it was _nothin'_."

"I didn't want to lie to you, Daryl, you have to know that-,"

"But you _did!_" Daryl shouted, turning towards her. "Because you were _scared_."

"Of course I was scared! I am scared!" she yelled back, cheeks flushed. "If that herd comes this way, there's no guarantee that we'll make it out alive!"

"Being scared isn't the same as being smart," Daryl snapped. "You should've told me, Beth. Why now? Why wait?"

"You think the smart thing to do was to come running back screaming about the herd? All that would've done is cause people to panic!"

"But it wasn't your truth to keep from the rest of us," he said, stepping close to her. "You aren't the only one here who has someone they care about. You aren't the only one who wants to keep everyone safe."

"I know that, I just thought-,"

Daryl's voice rose to a shout again. "You weren't _thinkin'!_ Now we lost days we could have used to prepare."

Beth's expression crumpled and she covered her tear streaked face with a shaking hand. The realization of her mistake washed over her, bogging her down with guilt and panic. She struggled to keep herself from sobbing like a child.

She lifted her watery gaze back to Daryl. "What do I do now? What if it's too late? What if the herd is comin' and thanks to me we aren't ready?"

Daryl's expression didn't soften when he stepped towards her once more so he could grab her arms. "Make it right by helpin' the others. Get everyone ready. We're gonna need to start surveyin' that herd."

Beth's expression smoothed out as she brushed away the tears from her eyes. She nodded. "Yes, we do," she said in a surprisingly clear and calm tone.

Then she turned away from Daryl, walking back outside, where the clouds had gathered and rain had started to fall.

Ooo0ooO

An hour later, the rain had turned into a torrential downpour, soaking the whole of Alexandria and the surrounding woods.

The people, however, were mulling about and the air was punctuated with the sounds of shouts and clangs as reinforcements for the wall started to get erected. Beth had passed the news of the herd along and through word of mouth, the news spread to everyone in the safe-zone in less than thirty minutes. It took less time than that to get everyone started on tasks to get the safe-zone ready in case.

Beth made her way along the southern perimeter wall, pushing her wet hair from her eyes. She could barely see through the rain and the ground was slick and soft. She picked up her pace, wanting to get back to the pain part of the safe-zone to help the others.

She approached the older homes that were stationed along the back wall of the perimeter and turned a corner to survey the rest of the wall to relay what kind of reinforcements it would need to make it more stable.

Her foot slipped out from under her and Beth let out a sharp gasp as she crashed hard on her back. Coughing, she blinked the rain water from her eyes as she tried to breathe more into her lungs.

Placing a hand down to steady herself, she felt something cool and slippery slip between her fingers. Grimacing at the thought of being covered in mud, Beth looked down at her hand. And amongst the grass and the mud was a bright red substance that made her eyes widen.

When she looked to her left, Beth let out a loud, terrible scream.

Lying a few feet away in a pool of his own blood, Gabriel stared at Beth with dead, glossed over eyes, his mouth agape.

Ooo0ooO

**Disclaimer: I do not own TWD.**

**Author's Note: What does Cat have planned? What happened to her brother? What's going to happen next? Find out soon…**

**Please review.**


	23. Killer

Chapter Twenty Three: Killer

Beth scrambled away from the body, heart knocking hard against her ribs.

Someone shouted her name and slid down next to her.

Beth looked up and saw it was Tyreese. He was saying something to her, but the blood was roaring in her ears, making everything sound like she was deep underwater.

He shook her. "Beth! Who did this?" he shouted.

Beth allowed him to pull her to her feet. "I- I don't know. I just found him a-and..." She slumped against him, shaking.

"Come on," he said more gently.

Beth couldn't help but glance over her shoulder one last time as Tyrese pulled her way, back into the main part of town.

There was a large group of people gathered outside the main hall, and when Beth and Tyrese came closers, a few broke away and dashed over.

Daryl and Maggie came first, and Beth ran forward and flew into both of their arms, sobbing. "Father G-Gabriel!" she stammered.

Daryl moved her gently so she could cling to her sister before he turned to look at Tyreese.

Rick and Michonne came forward too, and all of them listened to Beth as she stumbled her way through the brief story of her finding Father Gabriel dead.

Rick looked grim. "You sure you don't know who did it?"

"No, I had just... I didn't see anyone..."

Maggie frowned. "No one here strikes me as a killer."

Suddenly, Rick and Michonne exchanged a look. "But there's one person here we all don't know," Michonne pointed out.

Beth blinked. "Cat."

Ooo0ooO

Spencer caught word of Father Gabriel's sudden and brutal death, and went into his back office before Beth could catch him. He opened up the lock box he kept in the back closet, where he had a secret stash of weapons hidden away.

Strapping a few knives to his belt, he slung a rifle over his shoulder. Turning, he jumped when he saw he wasn't alone.

"Cat," he exhaled.

Cat smiled from the doorway. "Hi, Spencer."

"Look, the safe zone isn't safe right now. Someone killed Father Gabriel." He moved closers to her so he could place a comforting hand on her shoulder. "I'm sorry, I know you were close."

Cat blinked, confusion blanketing her expression. She stepped into the office, away from Spencer. Her hand traced the knick knacks on his desk, and paused when she came to a picture. It was of Spencer and his brother.

"Do you miss him?" she asked softly.

"What?"

Cat turned to look at Spencer, her eyes now cool and curious. "Your brother. Do you miss him?"

Spencer furrowed his brow. "Yeah, I do. Every day."

Cat looked back down at the picture.

"Cat, what-,"

"I had a brother. He was everything to me. He protected me, watched my back. He loved me more than anyone else ever did." Then she laughed, turning to look at Spencer. "Then the word changed. People became walkers and people died. But my brother, he never left my side. Until one day, you see, he and I were separated. There was this big storm, like the one outside. He came across this place. He thought he would be safe. But he never stopped thinking about me, so he tried to get the leader to send out search parties to look for me. The leader sent her sons out with my brother."

Spencer felt himself growing pale as her words felt all to familiar. He stepped back.

Cat tilted her head, her eyes gleaming dangerously. "The oldest brother thought it would be fun to lead my brother into a trap. You see, he liked to keep walkers tied up, to play games with him. But the game went wrong. My brother got hurt and he couldn't run away. So the brothers ran, even as my brother screamed. But you see, I heard my brothers screams. I ran towards them. But when I got to him, it was too late. And all I saw was the two brothers, watching from a safe distance. The youngest looked sick, and had his eyes to the ground. But I knew his face. Your face."

"Cat, I didn't mean-,"

"For that to happen? Your brother killed mine. And since I can't kill him..." She pulled out a serrated knife, which still was smudged with blood. "I'll just settled for you."

Ooo0ooO

Beth searched frantically for Spencer. When she ran into Carol, the older woman said that she had seen him go back into the main hall not more than five minutes ago.

Beth ran as fast as she could when she heard Spencer yell.

She flew into the office and found Cat pinning him to the wall, with a knife embedded into his side. Cat turned when she heard Beth. She grinned wickedly. "Hello, Beth. Care to lend a hand?"

Beth silently withdrew her own hunting knife.

Cat jerked her knife out of Spencer, who slumped to the floor, leaving a bright smear of blood on the wall. "Guess not," she purred.

"Cat, we don't have to do this," Beth said calmly.

Cat sighed, tracing a finger over the edge of her knife. "Oh, but I had to. You believe in God, right, Beth? Well, I was just doing his bidding. Spencer here killed my brother. So I figured, God would understand if I did the punishing this time."

"What ever happened to _thou shalt not kill_?" Beth challenged.

"He killed first!" Cat screamed. "My own brother! Why should he get to live?"

Then Cat lunged at Beth, knife gleaming.

There was a soft whoosh of noise, then the sound of ripping cloth.

Cat stumbled, eyes wide. She looked down and saw the green tipped arrow embedded in her chest. She looked at Beth, then over her shoulder, where Daryl stood, crossbow raised.

A single tear spilled down her cheek as she looked into Beth's eyes. "Do you think I'll see him again? My brother?"

Then she fell and Beth caught her, gently laying her down. Beth brushed the hair from Cat's eyes. "Yes, you will," Beth said softly. "Shh. Close your eyes."

Cat whimpered, but eventually her eyes drifted shut. And when she went still, Beth laid her down and went to Spencer.

Spencer's skin was clam my and his eyes rolled open when he felt Beth's hand on his cheek. "Cat?" he gritted out.

"She's gone."

Spencer coughed and winced when Beth pressed her hand to his wound.

Maggie and Carol dashed in and froze when the took in the scene. They managed to carry Spencer into the other room to lay him out on one of the long tables. Carol cut away his shirt and cleaned the wound to see what they were dealing with.

Beth sat a few feet away, leaning heavily against Daryl. "I didn't know," she whispered.

"None of us did," Daryl murmured.

Beth looked at Spencer, who seemed onto be growing paler by the minute. She gripped Daryl's hands tightly.

And for the next few hours, all she could do was pray, pray and help the others. They buried Cat's body, then started getting ready for the herd.

Ooo0ooO

**Disclaimer: I do not own TWD.**

**Author's Note: ****Please review.**


	24. Healer

Chapter Twenty Four: Healer

A week later, Beth woke up early to go down to the main house to check on Spencer.

She walked down the street slowly, rubbing her tired eyes. Over the past few days, she hadn't been getting much sleep. Anytime she closed her eyes, she saw Father Gabriel's body, broken and bleeding. Or Cat, staring up at her, asking if she'd see her brother again.

So she distracted herself by helping Carol with Spencer, who was slowly recovering. They suspected he had some internal bleeding and they were worried that the knife might have punctured a lung. So they switched off shifts, watching him closely.

Yawning, Beth shook her head, trying to shake off the exhaustion that was bogging her down.

"Hey, Beth!"

Beth blinked and smiled. "Hey, Tara. Hey, Ken."

Tara smiled back at Beth. "How's Spencer?"

"Getting better, I guess. It was touch and go at first, but Carol and I think he'll pull together." She glanced at Ken. "How goes the building?"

Ken grinned. Her eyes gleamed.

Ever since Beth told the others about the herd, Ken and Daryl took charge of rebuilding and reinforcing the walls, as well as building up new cars from scraps of old ones that had been left in garages.

"We got the RV working," she said excitedly. "Next we're gonna do the bus."

Beth's brows lifted. "A bus?"

Ken nodded. "Yeah, it was abandoned a few miles away. Me and a few others rolled in it before that storm blew in."

Tara gave Beth an amused look. "This is her new pet project."

Ken nodded. "It's my baby," she said solemnly. Then she paused, frowning. "But if babies were like... covered in rust and ran on gas and oil."

Beth laughed. "I think I get the picture. Well, I need to go check on Spencer. See you guys later."

"See you," they said together.

Ooo0ooO

Spencer was awake when Beth walked into the room he was in. He was looking quietly out the window. When he heard her, he turned and smiled a little.

"How are you feeling?" Beth asked, moving to sit at the edge of the bed.

Spencer sighed, his hand moving to touch the bandages that wrapped his side. "Okay, I guess."

Beth covered his hand with hers. "I have to change your bandages."

Spencer nodded, his jaw clenched.

Beth tried to be gentle as she removed the old bandages and cleaned up his stitches. She knew he was in pain. But she knew she couldn't rush. Getting sick nowadays was a literal death sentence.

When she was done, Spencer tugged his shirt back in place. He sighed again.

Beth frowned.

After the whole Cat incident, he seemed to be more quiet and withdrawn. Beth had tried to talk to him, but he shut her out.

"Well, I'll be back later to check on you," she said, getting up.

"Beth, wait."

She paused, looking back over her shoulder.

His expression looked conflicted. "What Cat did... to Father Gabriel. And she almost...to you-,"

Beth turned to face him again. "Spencer," she said patiently. "Whatever she did, whatever she said, it wasn't your fault."

"That's not true," he said softly.

Beth looked at him, then sat back down. "Tell me about it."

So he did.

Ooo0ooO

Maggie was at the house, mending some of her clothes, when a tentative knock came from the door. She looked up and saw her sister at the doorway, looking pale.

"Beth, are you all right?" she asked.

Beth nodded before sitting down next to her. She leaned her head against Maggie's shoulder.

Maggie glanced down at her little sister and wrapped an arm around her, rubbing her back. "Do you want to talk about it?"

Beth exhaled. "I think it's all getting to me, you know? The world, the walkers. This place. The murder..."

Maggie pulled her in close, since she felt Beth tremble. "I know."

"How do you deal with it?" Beth asked, looking at her sister with wide blue eyes.

Maggie thought about it for a moment. "One day at a time. Otherwise, I think I'd go crazy."

"Sometimes I feel crazy," Beth admitted.

"Oh, you are," Maggie said, nodding. "Completely."

Beth looked up and saw the laughter in her sister's eyes. She shoved Maggie a little, laughing. "Then it must run in the family. I mean, look at you. Since when do you sew?"

Maggie snorted, poking Beth's side. "Shut up."

Beth smiled and curled into her sister'sside, putting her head back on her shoulder. Her eyes loved as her sister played with her hair.

Ooo0ooO

Beth found Daryl later at one of the garages that him and Ken had converted into a workshop. She stood at the entrance, watching him work.

His arms were bare and covered in grease and sweat. He was wearing some kind of giggles to keep the sparks from his eyes as he used a flame torch.

Beth smiled to herself. Sighing, she leaned against the doorway, folding her arms over her chest.

"Nice view, huh?"

Beth jumped at the sound of Ken's voice.

Ken was standing by her side, grinning wickedly. Her hair was slicked back with grease, with also streaked her arms and face. She looked like an elf that had been playing in an oil spill.

Beth lifted a brow. "You know, I think the oil is supposed to go _into_ the car."

Ken shrugged, yanking the hair from her eyes. Another smudge appeared in her cheek. "I'm not the one ogling my boyfriend. Got some drool on your chin."

Beth glared. "Funny."

Then her and Ken smiled at each other.

"Yo, Dixon!" Ken called out. "Your girlfriend's here." Ken glanced at Beth again. "Don't suppose you've seen my girlfriend?"

Beth shook her head.

Daryl looked up and took off the goggles. "Hey."

Beth smiled. "Hey."

Ken eyed them both before walking over to Daryl to take the torch out of his hands. "You go have fun, kids. I'll keep working."

"I'll tell Tara to stop by if we see her," Beth said, taking Daryl's hand to lead him out of the shop.

"I got grease on my hands," Daryl said, trying to pull away from her.

Beth smiled. She glanced down at her hand, which was now smeared with grease. "Well, we better go clean you up," she said with a smirk.

Daryl lifted a brow, but his eyes darkened, giving away his desire.

The house was empty and quiet when they got there, so Beth gave Daryl another smirk before beckoning him upstairs with her finger. When they got to their room, Beth leaned against Daryl, kissing him deeply.

Then she pulled back and turned her back to him. She took off her jacket, then her shirt, leaving her bare from the waist up. She looked over her shoulder, lifting a brow. "Aren't you coming?" she asked, before walking towards the shower, shedding her jeans as she went.

"Not yet," Daryl growled under his breath before he went after her.

He froze only for a moment when he saw Beth waiting for him inside the shower. She was already naked, turning on the water. Her hair turned from a pale blonde color to deep gold. She turned and smiled slowly at him.

Daryl yanked off his clothes before joining her. The water felt nice on his sore muscles, but so did Beth's warm hands. He didn't flinch when she gently touched the scars on his back. Then shivered when she pressed her lips to them.

He washed her hair, fascinated by the long, smooth trendles.

When they were done, he laid her out on the bed, drying every inch of her. His hands traced over her, turning her onto her stomach before massaging her back.

Beth moaned softly, arching her back.

Daryl gently spread her legs, lifting her hips. Then he slipped back inside her, making them both groan.

Beth didn't want it slow and gentle this time. She thrusted back against him, then turned her head to look at him. "Please."

Then she cried out when he began moving inside her in short, fast strokes. She clenched the bedsheets tightly, groaning. She knew she wasn't going to last. Her legs began to tremble, and her muscles tightened.

When they both climaxed, they both cried out. Beth felt her muscles spasm, her vision greyed. Daryl's hands bruised her hips, before he collapsed against her, pressing them both into the mattress.

Beth huffed. "Can't breathe."

"Sorry," Daryl mumbled, pulling out of her and rolling to the side.

"Mmm," she sighed. She turned to look at him. Her blue eyes gleamed with satisfaction. "I'm not."

Daryl chuckled, folding his hands over his chest.

Beth stretched before sitting up. She pulled her hair back into a low ponytail. Then she got up, slipping on one of Daryl's shirts.

Daryl sat up as well. "What is it?" He moved to the edge of the bed so he could gather up his pants, slipping them on.

Beth exhaled softly. She moved to straddle his waist, wrapping her arms around his neck. "I'm just tired," she told him.

Daryl reached up, rubbing her back soothingly. "I know," he murmured.

Beth looked him in the eyes. "Do you think it'll ever get better?"

"I don't know," he admitted. "Do you?"

"I think it has to," she whispered, pushing her forehead against his. Sighing, she played with the ends of his hair, letting the minutes slip between them in silence.

Beth liked the quiet. She liked sitting here with Daryl, with her arms around him. She felt like she could pretend that him holding her could heal everything that made her hurt. That being in his arms could make her forget the things that kept her up at night.

She allowed herself to pretend for a little longer.

Ooo0ooO

**Disclaimer: I do not own TWD.**

**Author's Note: ****Please review.**


	25. Savior

Chapter Twenty Five: Savior

Rick Grimes quickly learned that in order to live in this world, there wasn't room for any mistakes. A mistake could mean you losing your live or putting others in danger. A mistake could mean the difference between life and death, it could make the difference whether or not you find a way to live until tomorrow.

He also learned that mistakes took many forms, and that the form that his mistakes took were people. He wanted to believe that Shane was a good man, and that the Governor was not a mad man driven by his own crazed delusions. But he also knew the truth, and the truth was very simple: kill or be killed. There were no rules or guidelines to dictate how the killing was done. It could be from being eaten by a walker. Or it could be from a person you wanted to trust, pressing a gun against your temple.

Rick found himself in the latter scenario.

A week ago, a group of people had gone out on a hunt to bring back as much game as they could before the final preparations were made in order to safe guard Alexandria. Everything took a turn for the worst when a single person strayed too far and caught the attention of a cluster of walkers. The zombies gave chase, and their hissing and growling caught the attention of more walkers nearby.

Soon the herd was on the move, like a slow and steady pack full of decaying, snarling corpses, and before they knew it, the horde was at the safe zone, testing the new barriers that had been put only days prior.

Panic ensued, leading to people turning on each other. Rick and Michonne did their best to keep some semblance of order, as did Beth and Spencer, but their efforts were wasted when some safe zone members got ahold of the weapons vault.

One man managed to pull a gun on Rick before he could draw his own. So he stood with it pushing against his temple while Beth tried to speak to them all in calming tones. The gentleness of her voice seemed almost out of place, since it was punctuated by the sounds of people shouting and the growing sound of snarls and growls of the walking dead.

"How do we know you and yours won't leave us for dead if they breach the walls?: one man shouted out.

Beth looked towards the direction where they had spoken. "Because we will need to stay together if we are going to survive this! If we turn on each other now, we're all dead!"

"They're going to get through!" Someone else shrieked.

"Listen to me!" Beth yelled back.

"The walls will hold."

The calm and quiet of Daryl's voice rippled through the crowd, effectively quieting them.

Rick stared, stunned how the simple trick teachers used in loud students worked so well on a group of panicking adults. But when hm the gun was pulled away from his head, he decided not to think about it too much. He reached out and touched his son's shoulder reassuringly, then felt relief when he saw Judith wrapped in Carol's arms.

So he stepped forward. "Daryl is right. The walls will hold. Right now, what we need to do is make a choice. To stay here and see if they break through, or leave and find somewhere else."

"But Alexandria's always been safe!"

"Until you came!"

"What if we can't find another place?:

"What about the children?"

A sharp whistle cut through the air, silencing the crowd once more.

Rick glanced briefly at Ken, who was glaring at everyone.

"I think Rick had the floor," she growled, folding her arms.

Rick cleared his throat. "Ken and Daryl had prepared transportation should we need it. There's plenty of room for everyone and the children."

"But if the walls hold, why should we leave?"

Daryl spoke up again. "Because they know we're here. This place is just a feeding ground with walls. It only takes one getting through before the rest follow."

The man who had pulled a gun on Rick turned towards him. "What can we do to stop them from getting through?"

Ooo0ooO

A small group of men and women were selected to go with Rick to begin picking off the herd with high powered rifles that could be shot from a safe distance. The watch towers would be used to their full advantage.

Another went with Beth to scout the perimeter, to ensure that it was secure and to find weak points in the herd that could be used to bring down its numbers.

Daryl selected another group to come with him and Carol to move the children into theIraq most secure house, the main house. This was the last house where the basement hadn't been sealed shut, and was only meant to be used for emergencies. They agreed this constituted as one. The children needed a place to hide, and the main house was also closest to the garage where they had the large vehicles stored in case the herd got through and they needed a quick getaway.

Spencer delegated with the rest, acting as both their peacekeeper and their leader.

Beth returned with her group first, assuring the others that the walls were holding up fine for now. Beth stepped to the side to speak with Spencer quietly.

"They'll hold," she repeated, "but if the herd grows anymore, they might use their weight to bring it down. I saw it before at the prison. These walls are stronger, granted, but with enough of them..." She glanced around, worried. "They're like ants, Spencer. If one manages to crawl over the others and gets in, that's it. We can fight until we get everyone on the RV or the bus, but..."

"Some fights are better left lost?" Spencer finished, lifting a brow.

Beth nodded solemnly. "We can't allow anyone to try to play hero here. I know there's a lot at stake but if one person makes a mistake, they're putting everyone at risk and that can't happen."

"We can't stop them if they try," Spencer muttered, rubbing a hand over his eyes.

"I know," Beth sighed. "But we have to try. Just keep doin' what you do best."

Spencer laughed bitterly. "Hide? Get stabbed?"

Beth's eyes flashed a bright blue. "Be their leader."

Ooo0ooO

Days passed slowly. Tension remained high within the safe zone. No one took comfort in the constant buzzing and hissing of walkers milling outside their walls.

Rick and his task force managed to put a dent in the herd's size, but they had to keep a stop and go rhythm going. Too many gunshots would attract more walkers in the area and the remaining herd responded strongly to the noise.

Impatient as ever, Beth approached the few from Rick's original group who she hadn't talked to, not since they had entered the safe zone. Tara was sitting with them and looked surprised, but that didn't match the uncaring look that Rosita sent Beth's way, or the expressionless look on Abraham's face. Eugene was the only one who seemed somewhat pleased to see her.

Beth, who was tired from working double shifts, glared at the latter. "Rumor has it you know a way to stop this."

Eugene blinked. "The herd? No... I mean... I'm not like Rick and y"all."

Beth stepped closer. "You know what I meant."

Abraham stepped between them. "So what if he does?:

Beth's eyes narrowed. The red haired man was a great deal larger than she was, but right now, she felt her palm twitching to hit someone. "If he has any idea on how to create a cure, don't you think we need to take him where he needs to go in order to do that?" she snapped.

Eugene cleared his throat nervously. "Washington. I need to go...there."

Beth met his anxious gaze. "And you can stop this."

The mullet haired man shrugged. "I wouldn't put a 100% guarantee on it, but I think I know where to start."

"Are there others that you want to come with you?" Beth asked.

"Where he goes, I go," Abraham stated.

"Ditto," Rosita echoed.

Beth looked back towards Eugene. "Anyone else?"

"Just a few," he told her. "But how are we going to get through the herd?"

"I'm working on it," Beth said, twisting her ring again and again.

"Why are you so gung-ho about this now?" Rosita wanted to know.

Beth stared at her.

It was simple really. One of the little girls that Beth was watching had come up to her, crying, and asked her if her mommy and daddy were going to die. Then she asked if she was going to die. It had ignited something in Beth, a determination that she had felt while stuck in that hospital.

Survival instinct.

The time for hiding and jumping from town to town, living on game and stolen, rotting food needed to end. If there was a way to survive this thing, Beth wanted to find it. She knew she wasn't capable of doing it on her own, but she knew how to lead people.

"Because this needs to end," Beth stated firmly before turning on her heel and walking away.

Ooo0ooO

**Disclaimer: I do not own TWD.**

**Author's Note: For the sake of the story, Eugene is going to become more important. Granted on the show, he isn't the guy with a plan for a cure, but in this AU, he'll be a part of it.**

**Please review.**


	26. Traveler

Chapter Twenty Six: Traveler

Within the week, the first walker breached the safe zone's walls by using the bodies of other zombies to climb up and over.

More came after that, crawling over the walls and each other like ants. They snarled and growled, hungrily snapping their teeth.

Beth and Daryl stood side by side, hidden in the shadows by the main hall. The others were already loaded into the buses and other vehicles they would use to get out. The children had been gathered up first, followed by the rest. It was Rick's group that volunteered to stay and hold off as many walkers as they could before the transportation could get past the herd.

Beth felt some sweat trickle down her brow, then down along the tip of her nose. She gave it a twitch, not wanting to take her hands off her gun.

"Gonna be a long way to Virginia," Daryl muttered softly.

Beth nodded. "But if Eugene can stop this..."

Daryl gave a brief nod of understanding.

Suddenly they both stiffened as a smaller batch of walkers turned to lurch in their direction.

Daryl shot down the first, using his crossbow which had been reloaded with bright green and pink arrows. Beth followed, using her gun, which she had fitted with a silencer so the more walkers wouldn't come near due to the noise.

Beth gritted her teeth against the smell. These walkers were more decayed than the others they had come across. Their skin was gray and all but sliding off the bones, and when it was cut open, it oozed black blood, puss, and rotten flesh.

One lurched close to Beth, reaching out with its remaining arm. It snarled, exposing a mouth with half of the teeth missing, and a black, swollen tongue.

Beth turned, firing off a shot that caught the zombie dead between the eyes before she looked at Daryl, making sure he was okay. Her heart skipped a beat when she saw he was being crowded by five zombies, and his arrow supply was already low. He began using the crossbow as a blunt object, burying it's sharp edges into the skulls of the walkers that got a tad too close.

Beth lunged, reaching for her knife, using it to kill the walker that was attempting to sneak up on Daryl from behind. Then the other walkers came, some moving faster than others.

Daryl cursed when he saw them. "Go, _go!_"

Beth reattached the gun to the holster on her right hip, clenching her knife tightly. She ducked low when a walker lunged for her, losing its balance in the process. She used the heel of her boot to crush in its skull.

"Come on!" she yelled, yanking at Daryl's jacket.

Together they sprinted away, and were quickly followed by the other group members. They were all covered in grime and sweat, but they focused on running towards the exit the buses had taken to head away from the oncoming herd.

They spotted the nearest bus parked about a hundred yards away, idling on the side of the road. The door flew open, revealing Spencer.

"Hurry!" he exclaimed.

Beth spared a glance over her shoulder.

Like a rolling wave, the faster, less decayed walkers ran after the group, snarling terribly. They pushed and shoved past one another, their eyes locked on their targets. The slower ones limped out of the gates, all of them worked into a frenzy from the stimulation.

Adrenaline shot down Beth's spine and into her legs, pushing her to go faster, forcing her to run with all of her might. She wasn't sure if she was even breathing at this point.

When they reached the bus, they piled in quickly, with Rick counting off to make sure everyone was accounted for. Then the doors snapped shut, right before the first walkers slammed into the bus, causing it to shudder.

"_Drive!_" Beth screamed.

Ken, who sat at the wheel, floored it, throwing everyone against their seats and into each other. The wheels skidded and smoked as the bus accelerated away from the herd, leaving it behind as it sped up.

There was a moment of silence, then everyone seemed to release a long breath.

Beth gripped the hand railing, steadying herself against the rickety movements of the bus. She met Daryl's gaze.

He nodded, silently telling her he was okay.

Her eyes shifted to the others, noting they all looked fine, just exhausted. She gave a sigh of relief before looking out towards the long stretch of road in front of them.

Daryl was right, it would be a long journey to D.C. But at least they were on their way and for now, everyone was safe.

Ooo0ooO

Beth ended up taking a seat next to Daryl near the back of the bus. She leaned against him tiredly, her eyes growing heavier as each mile passed.

Daryl rubbed her back, murmuring for her to get some shut eye. So she sighed, resting her head on his shoulder and promptly dozed off.

A little while later, she was woken up by Judith, who cried out noisly. Carol tended to her, since Rick was sleeping next to Carl, who was wedged between his father and Michonne.

Beth blinked and moaned softly at the bright light coming in from the setting sun. She looked up at Daryl, who was still awake and alert.

"Where are we?" she muttered, rubbing the sleep from her eyes.

"Close to Athens, I think," he told her. "You should sleep more."

Beth shook her head, sitting up. She reached back to fix her ponytail. "Where are we stopping for the night?"

Daryl shrugged. "That's Spencer and Rick's call."

Beth focused her gaze on the two other men, who were now standing side by side at the front of the bus, talking to Ken, who was still at the wheel.

Beth clasped her hands together before nervously twisting her promise ring.

Daryl covered her hand, giving her a calm look.

Beth smiled, but gently pulled away before making her way towards the others.

Spencer gave her a nod, Rick a nod. Ken gave her a grin, sporting another oil smudge on her cheek.

"Where are we stopping for the night?" Beth asked.

Rick gestured to the map they had been looking at. "There's a few reserves. We figure we can pull off the road and buckle down for the night near one of them. It's remote, so hopefully there won't be any walkers."

Beth nodded. She looked around. "Where's Eugene?"

"In the other bus with Abraham and Rosita," Ken said, pointing to the vehicle in front of them.

Spencer gave her and Rick a questioning look. "And we're sure this guy is the answer?"

Beth understood his doubt. Eugene didn't exactly look the part for someone who had the potential to end the zombie apocalypse, but then again, who knew? Out of everyone, Beth knew him and his little band of friends the least.

"We have to have faith that he is," Beth offered.

Rick nodded. "At the very least, maybe we can find someone else who knows the answer. D.C. is a good starting point. People might converge towards the major capitals to figure out a solution."

Spencer frowned. "But aren't the larger cities more populated with walkers?"

Rick nodded. "Atlanta was a dead zone. I can imagine bigger cities are worse. It's a risk we have to take. Out here there's no large CDC facilities or other research labs that we can use to bunker down in in order for Eugene to do whatever it is he needs to do."

"Plus, you never know who we'll meet along the way," Ken pointed out. "Rick has a point, even if Eugene can't create a cure, maybe he can work with someone who can."

"Hopefully they're more friendly than some of the others we came across," Beth said, her expression turning serious. Her mind turned to the Governor.

Rick seemed to be thinking the same thing. He nodded. "We just have to be careful. Ask the questions. Keep a close eye on anyone new."

With all of them in agreement, Beth returned to her seat, smiling when Daryl took her hand in his. She relayed the conversation to him.

Daryl had a thoughtful look in his eyes as he listened to her. When she finished, he exhaled deeply. "There is some risk with taking a large group like this into a city overrun by walkers. Maybe some should stay behind in a safe location."

Beth considered that. "It would be better if the children weren't put into any more danger than they need to be. I'll mention it to Spencer in the morning."

After that, they talked about simple things, where it would be best to leave the buses so they weren't stolen, if there were any familiar hunting grounds surrounding D.C.. Beth wondered if someone like the President had survived this long. Daryl wondered if he was taking people into the White House, since it was surrounded by fencing and security. Beth wanted to chuckle at the image of people sleeping in the Oval Office, but her humor died off when she thought of how that was a possibility rather than some humorous fantasy.

When the sun set, the drivers pulled the caravan over into an opening on the side of the highway. The doors were secured and a round the clock look out was set before everyone hunkered out for the night.

Beth had second watch, after Rick, but found she couldn't sleep. She listened to the soft snores of the other people on the bus and gazed out the dusty bus window. She could hear the crickets aND the buzz of flies swarming in the humid air.

Shifting in her seat, she leaned against Daryl once more, trying to quiet her worried mind so she could get some rest.

Ooo0ooO

**Disclaimer: I do not own TWD.**

**Author's Note: P****lease review.**


	27. Sacrificer

Chapter Twenty Seven: Sacrificer

As the caravan rolled into D.C., the bus Beth was on rolled slowly to a stop before giving one last cough of exhaust before the engine gave out. Ken muttered to herself about oil or something, but Beth was too focused on stepping outside to check their surroundings.

She figured D.C. would be a dead zone like Atlanta, but instead, the group was went with empty streets and silence. Beth shivered, noting how it was so quiet, she could only hear the wind whispering through the trees.

Daryl noticed too. His instincts told him just because it was quiet, didn't mean they were alone. He lifted a finger to his lips when he saw someone open their mouth to speak.

Rick gestured for Daryl and Spencer to come over, then inclined his head towards them so he could speak softly. "No way we are the only ones here."

"You think everyone else is hiding somewhere?" Spencer asked, eyeing the surrounding buildings.

"Maybe, so we need to proceed with caution," Rick said, also eyeing the area.

Suddenly, the sound of a gun being cocked had them turning around.

Beth stood frozen, her gun aimed towards a line of cars that sat about fifteen yards from where they were. Her eyes were locked in something, her entire body tense.

A tall, thin walker came out from behind the cars, its skin gray and sunken. It moved slowly, its head turned away from the group. It snarled softly, shuffling along slowly.

But it turned its head when one of the children cried out in fright. It bared its teeth and snapped them together before moving faster with purpose.

Beth fired off her gun, hitting the walker between the eyes. However, it was too late. The tell tale sounds of growling and shuffling feet alerted the others that more walkers were coming, attracted to the sound of the child's cry, the gun shot, and the smell of a freshly killed zombie.

Beth snatched the kid that had cried out, hauling him up onto her hip before lifting her gun again, pointing it in the direction where more walkers were coming from.

"Move!" someone, Abraham maybe, shouted.

The entire group ran, some picking up the smaller kids as they went, all of them moving to the closest building. Daryl kicked down the door before ushering everyone inside.

Beth's voice called out from the stairs. "Up here, quckly!"

Daryl clenched his jaw as he waited for the others to squeeze through the doorway. The walkers gave chase when they saw their intended prey, but he managed to get the door shut before they got close. He felt them slam into the metal, scratching at it like crazed animals.

"There's too many of us," he growled to Rick, who had stayed back to count them off. "If we stay together, we're an easier target."

"If we split up, we can't protect them all," Rick countered.

Daryl looked at Rick, his blue eyes flashing. "We're gonna die if we stay lumped together like this. Split the group, put someone reliable in charge one. Beth, Spencer, Abraham, Michonne, you, and me."

Rick eyed him for a moment before nodding. Both men ascended the stairs after the others.

Beth kicked down another door that opened up into an old office suite. Everything was coated thickly in dust and the air was musty, but it was safe for the time being. She gently set down the little boy, who dashed away, presumably to whoever was his parent or guardian.

Leaning against a wall, Rosita lifted a brow at Beth. "Now what, princess?"

Beth ignored the jab, but turned her eyes towards Eugene.

Ooo0ooO

Daryl rested against the far wall with Michonne and Carol as Beth discussed matters with Eugene, Spencer, Rick, and a few others. He carefully sharpened his knife, then cleaned his gun.

Brushing the hair from his eyes, he impatwenty tied it back in a knot, then continued to clean. When he was done, he counted what arrows he had left, then checked the crossbow's alignment.

After a while, Beth settled down in between him and Carol. She smiled at the older woman and leaned her shoulder against her side.

Carol smiled as well, pushing the loose strands of hair away from Beth's eyes in a motherly manner. "What did Eugene say?"

Beth sighed, plucking at her shoelaces. "He wants to look around in the morning. See what kind of facilities are nearby. He's going to need a lab or something close..."

Daryl and Michonne exchanged a silent look. Both of them harbored the same doubts about one man finding a cure for something like this. They both saw how awful the world was now, and to believe it could be fixed seemed... unrealistic. The turning point had passed by already, now it was too broken to be mended.

Daryl figured the others might have their doubts too, but he and Michonne had expressed theirs to each other back on the bus while they were on lookout whIle the others slept. He saw the same hardened look in her eyes that he knew where in his. Sure, the people they had by their side made it easier, but it didn't change the reality that the world had finally run itself into the ground and that mother nature (or what have you) was killing them off one by one.

So they fought, they struggled, and each day some survived as they made their way through a world that had experienced the true meaning of the word apocalypse.

Beth, unaware of Daryl's inner monologue, hummed softly as she leaned against Carol, tracing a fingertip in the dust coating the floor.

Ooo0ooO

Daryl woke up to find Beth curled up next to him, her head resting in his lap with a hand tucked under her cheek. He had fallen asleep propped against the wall and he grunted when he felt how stiff his back was.

Beth opened her drowsy blue eyes, blinking up at him. She smiled at him.

He smiled back, tugging her hair gently. Then he nudged her so she could move, then he stood up, grimacing as the muscles along his spine popped.

Beth stretched as well, letting out a huffy sigh. She pulled her hair free from its band, running her fingers through it as she yawned. Then she braided it back, looping it over her shoulder.

Daryl checked to see if anyone else was awake. Rick was, a few feet away, holding Judith while sitting next to a snoring Carl. Michonne was next to him, her eyes pinned to the ceiling with her hands tucked behind her head. The only other person who was awake sat across the room, in the opposite corner to the others, staring out the window and at the gray sky that promised the arrival of dawn.

Beth approached him, before sitting down. She crossed her legs and offered him a kind smile. "Morning."

Morgan nodded. "It's not safe here."

"I know. But Eugene-,"

"No cure for this sick world," Morgan sighed, shaking his head. "No medicine..."

Beth blinked, then glanced uncertaintly over at Daryl.

Daryl just shrugged.

Later, when everyone was awake, they decided it would be best if they divided into groups. Rick and Abraham would lead the smaller group, which included Eugene, to a place where Eugene could begin his work. The others were divved up based on tasks.

Beth lead her small group to scope out the city. Her team included Morgan, Michonne, Ken, Tara, Carl, and a few others from Rick's old group and from Alexandria. They would establish where the safe regions were and what places to avoid.

Daryl lead a slightly larger group to look for food, water, and supplies. Maggie, Glenn, Tyreese, Sasha, Carol, and more made up the members. Daryl took point with Tyreese, who was quiet and watchful.

Spencer opted to stay behind with the adults with children, making sure they were safe while the others were out. They stayed boarded up in that office space, looking out the grimy windows at the streets below apprehensively.

Daryl's group was the first to return, each of them carrying at least three bags of water, food, or basic necessities. They had found an abandoned supply warehouse which had been locked up and untouched.

Spencer then put Carol in charge, saying he was going to go find Beth and her group to get a better look at the city. Sasha warned him not to go out alone, but he claimed he would be fine.

Daryl moved to the windows, and wondered how Beth and her team was doing.

Blocks away, Beth was pinned to the cement side of a building, her entire body frozen.

A small group of walkers had been walking down the street the group had turned on, and they all had ducked for cover. The zombies kept coming, but they moved slowly, unaware of the others, since their scent was downwind.

"Beth!"

To her horror, Beth saw Spencer running towards them, drawing attention to himself. He obviously didn't see the walkers, since he was approaching from the opposite street and had yet to round the corner.

Beth snatched his shirt front, then slapped a hand over his mouth. Tilting her head, she listened, then abruptly let him go when she heard the walkers coming, hissing and snarling. "Damn," she cursed, closing a hand over her knife as the other lifted her gun.

A few streets over, Rick and his group came across a medical research center. They made their way inside,.only to be greeted by the clicking of guns and the deadly gleam of hunting knives being aimed at them.

"We come in peace?" Rosita managed, lifting her hands.

Rick turned his attention towards the woman who stood in front of the rest. By her stance, she was obviously their leader. "Look, we aren't here to fight. Our friend, he can help."

"Help with what?" the woman asked, narrowing her eyes.

"Stop this. All of this."

The woman laughed quietly. She looked at them all incredulously. "There's no stopping this. Don't you see? It's too late. And if you think you can find a - a _cure_, then you're damn fools."

"But we have to try," Eugene said, suddenly stepping forward. "There's no harm in that, right?"

Rick nodded. He tucked away his gun, then lifted his hands in a gesture of peace. "All we want is to use the lab. Even if we can't find a cure, no one can say we didn't try. Will you let us through?"

The woman eyed them all, then shook her head. "Some of my men are already in there. Go ahead, savior boy. Find us a cure, if you think you can."

Eugene nodded, then he went with Rosita and Abraham down the hall.

Rick stepped forward. "I'm Rick. These are my people."

The woman reached out to shake his hand. "Susanne."

Ooo0ooO

Daryl saw that something was wrong the moment he saw Beth and her group approaching the building. He went down the stairs quickly, then all but caught her as she stumbled through the doorway.

She looked tired, and was covered in blood (not her own), as well as other things that Daryl didn't try to label. But it was her eyes, which were blank and lost, that concerned him.

He looked around, meeting Ken's gaze, who was the only one not stating at the ground. Then he realized someone was missing. "Where's Spencer?"

Ken just shook her head sadly, then took Tara's hand as they walked up the stairs.

Beth buried her face into Daryl's shoulder and began to cry.

A little whIle later, it was Ken who told Daryl and the others what had happened to Spencer. Beth only stared at nothing, tears falling down her cheeks silently.

"The walkers heard him coming. He didn't see them, you know? They came at us and we fought, but Spencer... he got himself in a corner and ran out of ammo, then lost his knife... He was bitten before he could call for help. Then he got over to Beth, and helped her, even though his neck... God, there was so much blood. Then he... he got a hold of her gun and he..." Ken trailed off, shaking her head. She ran a hand through her short hair.

Rick's face looked old and lined when he turned to the group. "Spencer died making sure the others were safe. He died because he was brave, not because he was afraid."

"To Spencer!"

Bottles and canteens of water lifted in salute to the fallen leader.

Ooo0ooO

**Disclaimer: I do not own TWD.**

**Author's Note: P****lease review.**


	28. Redeemer

Chapter Twenty Eight: Redeemer

Beth stood on the roof of the building the group was holed up in, her eyes fixed on the smoldering ashes of the pyre in front of her.

All that had been left of Spencer after he had taken Beth's gun and had blown his brains out was dog tags and a chain holding a pair of wedding rings. Beth figured this had been his parent's. So she buried them and the rest of this things, that is, things they figured they didn't need.

Beth absently touched the second gun strapped to her thigh. It only seemed right to take his gun, like he had used hers. Rick had taken his knife, passing it to Carl. The water canteen had been given to one of the mothers.

Beth wiped away the tears that stung her eyes. She touched the cross she wore, and lowered her head in prayer.

It had been a week since Spencer had died and Rick had introduced them to the group of people they had run into, all led by a woman named Susanne. Eugene and all of them had been working within the labs of a local research facility and so far, they hadn't surfaced to give the group any news.

Beth had a sinking feeling in her stomach. Something, that little voice in the back of her mind, told her this wouldn't amount to anything. If there _was _a cure, wouldn't someone have found something by now? It had been _years_.

Beth looked out over the buildings and the patches of green and thought about where she would be in a year from now. Would any of them still be alive?

"There you are."

She turned at the sound of Noah's voice. She hadn't spoken to him much but she found that she was glad to see him.

"Why are you out here all alone? And why are you... crying?"

Beth sniffed, rubbing at her red eyes. "I'm just wonderin' if this trip here was worth it."

Noah shuffled over, hands in his pockets. "I know you're sad about Spencer, but he died protecting you. It wasn't all for nothing."

Beth exhaled sharply. "It sure feels that way." She wrapped her arms around herself, shivering a little.

Noah looked her over. "You gonna be all right?"

"I have to be."

"No, I mean, are you gonna be _all right?_"

Beth furrowed her brows. "Yeah, why?"

"I dunno. You seem different. You're not pregnant, right?"

Beth laughed, clapping a hand over her mouth. "No," she managed. "No, I'm not _pregnant_."

Noah huffed. "Okay, just asking."

Beth shook her head. After Lori, all the women in their group had been diligent about stealing as much birth control as possible; condoms, pills, the works. Of course, Carol had pointed out that _not _having sex was the best way to prevent unwanted pregnancies, but Rosita had retorted that Carol only said that since she wasn't getting any. The conversation was awkwardly dropped after that.

It was an understood risk. But Beth only recognized that being close to someone physically as well as emotionally, it helped them deal with living in the hell they were in. It helped you remember you weren't _alone_. But still, you needed to be safe, for your sake and for the others.

Beth daydreamed for a moment, imagining what it could be like if they didn't live in a zombie riddled world. Would she want kids?

_Yes_, she thought to herself.

And for a fleeting moment, she saw Daryl cradling a small blonde haired, blue eyed baby girl. But she shook her head. That was a fantasy, it wasn't _real_.

Her gaze turned towards the pyre again.

_This _is real.

Ooo0ooO

"It's no use. There's no stopping it. It will attack and it will take a new host, then burn itself out."

"But maybe we can at least slow it down-,"

"That's not feasible! No one had gotten the bite and not changed!"

"It's mother nature, and she's a killer. We all know that viruses mutate. We don't know how this happened, or where it started, or who patient zero is. We got nothing, so why are we banning our heads against this wall?"

Eugene tuned out the bitter arguing going on between the other scientists and researchers in the room. He sat in front of a petri dish, which held samples of the virus they had extracted from a walker.

It was true- there didn't seem to be any foundation towards a cure. The virus had been a mutation, but they didn't know from what. The common cold? Swine flu? Who knew. It was like the one scientist said, mother nature is a killer.

Any data or research that had been done since the get go was lost. Files had been destroyed, facilities burned down all over the country, the world. It seemed that any research had taken a wrong turn, leading to people being turned due to mistakes, and the cycle would viciously repeat itself.

The world was at a lost. Eugene figured whoever said that the time for a cure had long passed had had a good head on their shoulders.

But coming to terms with that, that was what made people all but lose their minds. They didn't want to accept that this was the end, that there was no hope but to ride out the final wave and hope that some of them pulled through.

Eugene felt that sickening feeling boil in his gut. He had been so sure if they had made it here, they would be able to find something, _anything._

He buried his head in his hands.

Now what were they supposed to do? Wait to die? Pray they survived? Every day that passed, more walkers were rising and more people were dying.

People were counting on him. That's why they came in the first place, leaving the safest place they had been in a long time, giving it up to the walkers. Now where could they go?

A gentle hand rested on his shoulder.

Eugene looked up and saw Susanne giving him a sympathetic smile.

"It's not your job to save the world, you know," she said, sitting down next to him.

"I know. I just wanted to _help._"

"We all did. But I don't think ten people can redeem the world from the Apocalypse. It's a little above our pay grade."

"And you can just accept me all might die?"

Susanne shrugged. "We all gotta go sometime. I like to think that the next place is going to be a lot nicer than here... don't you?"

"I don't believe in heaven."

"Neither do I," Susanne admitted, chuckling. "But I got my belief."

So she left him, and he stood, disposing the dishes in with the other hazardous waste. He ran a hand through his hair.

_Now what?_ he wondered.

Ooo0ooO

Rick remembered the day he had first woken up in that hospital had found a world ravaged by walkers. He remembered being scared for his family and for his own life.

Now, years later, he wasn't scared anymore. At least, not for himself. He wished he could watch his son and daughter grow up and have a normal life, with barbecues and sports and school, but that seemed like a pipe dream.

The only life his son and daughter would know is how to survive, how to shoot a gun and wield a knife. They would learn how to hunt and use their surroundings to keep themselves safe, or how to use it to trap something.

There would be no prom, no driver's licenses, no awkward first dates.

As for Rick, all he could hope for now was to die like Spencer had, protecting a friend or his own family. He would rather go out with his own gun pressed to his head than being torn to pieces, or worse, being turned.

Rick closed his eyes.

Eugene had returned and told them what he knew, or rather, what he _didn't _know. He told them that finding a cure was next to impossible.

So it had been Beth who asked the question they were all thinking: "So what do we do now?"

They were still figuring out that answer.

Ooo0ooO

**Disclaimer: I do not own TWD.**

**Author's Note: Two chapters to go!**

** P****lease review.**


	29. Drifter

Chapter Twenty Nine: Drifter

Six months after Spencer's death, the large group had moved on from D.C., splitting off into smaller groups, led by those who volunteered to become a leader.

Those who stayed together found themselves led once more by Rick. It seemed that the original group didn't want to part ways, not now.

Beth walked next to Tara and Ken, tiredly holding Daryl's old crossbow across her shoulders. Her feet ached and her back was sore, but she pushed through the aches and pains.

They had been moving nonstop, making their way cross country towards the West coast. Rick had figured they should try their luck in other states, like California. Beth mentioned it might be better to move into a less populated state, like Idaho or Utah.

They had time to go through each state, to see what was it. The people they ran into were nearly feral at this point, uninterested in joining the group or helping others.

By the time they crossed into Arizona, the group was worn out. Their supplies were low, since any store they found was already ransacked. They began hunting and gathering more, using plants as remedies for wounds or pain, and they made their own filters to use for water they gathered from rivers and ponds they came across.

They adapted, as the rest of the world did in the time of great upheaval.

Ken scratched irritably at a bug bite on her shoulder. "The weather better be great in California because I'm going to lose my shit if this heat keeps up."

Tara and Beth exchanged tired smiles.

"Let's make sure the walkers haven't overcrowded the beaches," Beth said.

Ken snorted. "Anyone else getting a visual of a rotting zombie in a Speedo?"

Carl, who was walking a few feet to Beth's right, gagged. "Thanks, Ken. I haven't puked in my mouth in a while."

"Choke it down, kid. That might not be the craziest thing we came across."

"I'm going to guess celebrity zombies," Tara said, yanking her hair away from her sweaty face.

That got a laugh from a few of them. Beth glanced over at Daryl, who was walking near the front with Rick and Carol. His shirt was stuck to his back and his bare arms glistened. They were all hot and sweaty, and Beth noted they were also low on water.

Beth sighed, fixing her hair as well. It was on top of her head to keep it off her neck and back. She scrubbed at her eyes, blinking against the brightness of the sun.

Ooo0ooO

Zombies in Speedos were the least of the group's worries when they finally crossed over into California. Thanks to the dry heat, the group was moving slower than ever, trying to find shade where they could to avoid the sun and hot wind.

"Survived this long only to die from dehydration," Abraham griped, wiping sweat off of his brow. "Son of a bitch."

Beth couldn't blame him for complaining. This heat was sweltering, but unlike the southern states, the drought that plagued the west coast made finding fresh water more difficult.

She couldn't help but notice how different the land was after the start to this apocalypse. Everything was dead, all across the country, and even the climate seemed worse than usual, more harsh and brutal.

Dying from dehydration didn't seem like an unlikely scenario. Although walkers were a threat, she knew that they all could easily die from a fever as much as a bite.

When the group finally found their way to the coastline after days of moving across the state, they all breathed a collective sigh of relief when they felt the kiss of cool, salty breeze against their skin. The beaches were littered with garbage and pieces of ships that must have run a ground. Piles of bodies, both human and sea life, stunk up the air in the distance.

Beth stared out towards the Pacific, having never seen it before in her life. She wished it was under better circumstances that she was there now.

Daryl stood next to her, taking her hand as if he sensed her sadness.

She sighed, leaning against him slightly, trying to replace the images of dead corpses stacked on the beach with images of sandcastles and laughing children. But that only seemed to depress her more, so she shook her head and looked to Rick.

"Now what? Hole up in a beach bungalow?"

The smile that curved Rick's mouth almost reached his eyes. "I'm thinking something more along the lines of that," he said, pointing.

Beth and the group followed the direction his finger was pointing. Down the coast, maybe half mile from where they were, was an old, rusted power plant.

"That'll work," Glenn surmised.

Ooo0ooO

Being inside the power plant was not unlike being back at the prison. Although there wasn't any cells, the smell of rust and iron was familiar. They found some rooms in the back they decided to use to sleep in, while the others saw what they could rig up for water.

With the thick, iron doors keeping everything out, along with a barbed fence surrounding the property, Beth felt somewhat safe for the first time in months. They hadn't spot any walkers yet, but she knew that didn't mean they weren't close. Her and Daryl had already done a sweep of the place, and had found it completely empty.

That much, she figured, was a smell blessing.

So she found a small stairway that lead up into the tower, and sat down to look out a narrow window that faced the ocean. She watched as the sun began to set, turning the sky and water a bright shade of gold, smudged with pink and purple.

"Beth?"

Beth turned at the sound of her sister's voice. "Up here, Maggie."

Maggie climbed up the stairs and sat down on the step below where Beth was perched. She leaned back against her younger sister's legs. "Anything out there?"

"Just clear skies and sunshine," Beth said, half-amused. "I guess this is why people like living here."

Maggie smiled. "How are you holding up?"

Beth began playing with Maggie's hair. It was cropped shorter now, which made it easier to keep it from her eyes. Beth tried to picture herself with hair that short, but shook her head. "I'm okay. I'm tired. I wish we could just find a place and..."

"Stay," Maggie finished.

Beth nodded. "Yeah.I know why we keep moving. But I miss home."

Maggie reached back, covering Beth's hand with her own. "I know. So do I."

Beth looked back outside. "How long do you think we will stay here?"

"As long as needed," Maggie said. "I can't say."

Beth sighed at that. "How are you, Mags?"

Maggie turned a little to eye Beth. "I just want to make sure you're okay."

"Why wouldn't I be?"

"With everything that happened with Spencer..."

"Maggie, that was months ago."

"That doesn't mean you don't think about it. Don't you think of Dad still?"

"Of course," Beth said softly. Her gaze drifted away. "I just try not to think about it. His screams..." Beth trembled. "I can still hear them."

Maggie moved to sit next to Beth, pulling her against her side. "I know. I'm sorry. I'm here for you."

Beth clenched her fists. She was so tired of crying over people they lost. Wearily, she rested her head on Maggie's shoulder, and together, the sisters beared each other's weight and tried to remember the good and the simpler times before the world turned to chaos.

Ooo0ooO

**Disclaimer: I do not own TWD.**

**Author's Note: One ****chapter to go!**

** P****lease review.**


	30. Walker

Chapter Thirty: Walker

Beth woke up one morning about three months after they had found the power plant to the sound of shouting. Instinctively, she grabbed her crossbow.

Running outside, she froze when she saw Carl and Noah grinning at each other, triumph etched across their faces.

"What is it?" Beth called, jogging over to them.

Carl waved her weapon away, laughing. "It's nothing, Beth. Noah and I were just cheering 'cause the garden took."

Beth blinked before looking at the ground behind the boys. Like they had done at the prison, Abraham, Daryl, and Rick had dug up the asphalt in the back and had worked the soil before attempting to plant a few vegetables and fruits.

And out of the dark soil sprang tender greens, reaching up towards the sun.

Beth sighed a breath of relief. Lowering her bow, she grinned back at the boys. "You guys have a green thumb," she teased.

Noah scoffed and Carl rolled his eyes, but that didn't erase theIr smug expressions.

Ooo0ooO

On the roof of the power plant, twisting something shiny between her fingers, Ken stared out towards the ocean. It had been years since she had been to California and the balmy smell of salt and sun seemed to do little to soothe her mind.

Sighing, she tucked away the shiny object, and pulled out a pack of cigarettes instead. Tapping the box against her thigh, she drew one out along with her old lighter, and lit the end.

The wind carried away the smoke as she sat there, thinking about how it hadn't been that long ago when she had been on her own. She closed her eyes against the memory of killing Dawn with her rifle, which sat on the ledge beside her, and focused instead on the good that came out of a bad situation.

She didn't blink when Tara suddenly appeared, sitting down next to her. Her heart, however, gave a little kick. It always did that when Tara was around.

"They'll kill you, you know," Tara remarked, eyeing the cigarette disapprovingly.

"So will a lot of things nowadays," Ken replied, taking one last dragon before stubbing out the end. She ran a hand through her hair, which had recently been cropped short again.

"So besides killing your lungs, why are you sitting up here by yourself?" Tara asked, closing an eye against the bright sun before focusing her gaze on Ken.

Ken tapped the tip of her shoe against the wall. "I've been thinking."

"Don't strain yourself," Tara interjected with a smile.

Ken rolled her eyes, before making a face at the other woman. "What I mean is, I've been thinking about the future."

"You still believe we all have one? Even if the world had gone to shit?"

"The world had gone to shit long before this happened, if you ask me," Ken stated truthfully. "But even if the future is only one more day, it got me thinking about something else..." Ken met Tara's gaze again. "It got me thinking why I wouldn't want to spend every second with you."

Tara blushed. "Ken..."

Ken pulled something out from her pocket again and placed it gently in Tara's hand. "I'm not going to waste anymore time on what ifs. Right now, it's just you and me, and I know I love you."

Tara blinked at that, then looked down at the shiny object in her hand.

It was a ring.

Ooo0ooO

When the sun set, and the night air began to cool, Beth found herself sitting on the beach, hidden by the tall grass that grew along the sand's edge. She watched as the sky changed colors and as the sun disappeared only to be replaced by the moon.

In her lap was a bundle of paper, which she scribbled furiously across. She had found some old, dusty office supplies tucked away and had stepped outside on a whim to write. It had been a long while since she had written down her thoughts, even longer since she kept a journal or diary.

The crunch of boots against sand alerted her to someone approaching, but she recognized Daryl's silhouette. He sat down behind her, wrapping his arms around her middle before resting his chin on her shoulder.

"Gonna put it in a time capsule?" he asked.

Beth chuckled. "No. It does feel good to write again. I used to do it all the time, you know? I'd just sit there for hours, writing down songs and singin'..."

"You writing songs now?"

Beth shook her head. "No. Just something to leave behind, I guess."

Ooo0ooO

It would be years before someone found those papers, scattered along the desk in an abandoned power plant. The pages would be worn and yellowed, and the ink faded.

But there, written in a delicate hand, would be the words of someone who would survive through this apocalypse. Her and many others, all of whom managed to survive until, like a forest fire, the virus that changed so many ran its course and died out.

With so many walkers, the remaining survivors were spread thin across the world. And they learned to hide, and they learned to hide well. Others who gathered in large numbers in communities or safe zones quickly died, either from internal warfare, walkers breaching the borders, or from simple illness and starvation.

They never did find a cure, and they never were able to truly understand the virus' origins. Speculation was all anyone had to go on, and when it was all over, many wanted it all to be laid to rest with the dead. Countless bodies were burned and ashes scattered before the world tried to heal itself.

Healing began with the people. With most of the population wiped out, it took time before tentative alliances were built between those who did survive. Together they built on the ashes of the old and brought new life into the scarred world, either with children, new farms, or animals that had also survived.

The world then experienced a new brand of walkers, but these were just people, travelling far and wide to help those who needed it to rebuild whatever they had left.

It would be much later before a young girl would sit down on a beach, on the edge where the tall grass met the sand, holding the yellowed pages in her hands. Her bright blue eyes darted over the words, and her light brown hair blew with the breeze, falling into her face unnoticed.

_..._

_Many people believe we won't survive through this. I believe something different._

_..._

_We had two weddings today, one for Tara and Ken, and the other for Rick and Michonne. They give me hope that maybe, just maybe, there will be a day when all of this will be over and we can all just be... happy._

_..._

_Maggie had her baby today. She named him after Dad, and it suits him. We all think he had Dad's eyes. Baby Herschel. They've asked me to be his godmother and for Daryl to be his godfather._

_..._

_It's been about ten years since I walked out of that hospital. So much has changed. Not just the world, but all of us. I think we can all feel it... Change is coming. I can't explain it, but it feels like hope. I can only hold onto that now, and pray that this change brings me and the ones I love joy and hope and love._

_For now, however, I think I'm going to lie down. It seems my daughter is already quite a fighter, or at least that's what it feels like when she kicks away. _

_Hope... that's a good word, isn't it? Maybe even a good name._

_..._

"Hope! Time to go!"

The girl looked up and saw her parents waving her over. Her mother, whose hair was still long and pale blonde, smiled as Hope skipped over.

"What were you reading?" Beth asked, tucking her daughter's hair behind her ear.

"Treasure," Hope said.

Beth gazed down at her daughter with a soft smile. She exchanged a look with her husband.

Daryl just smiled back, then shrugged.

Beth smiled. "Come on. Let's go."

Wrapping an arm across Hope's shoulder, the three of them began walking across the stretch of sand, their boots crunching across the sand.

And forgotten in the sand were the pages, which quickly scattered in the wind, some being carried out to sea, and the others were lost in the tall grass.

Ooo0ooO

**Disclaimer: I do not own TWD.**

**Author's Note: That's all, folks!**

**A big thank you to my readers, viewers, and reviewers! **


End file.
